A Shadow in the Fourth Wall
by Herooftime27
Summary: A boy wakes up with no memory of his life before, not knowing where he is. He clearly is enrolled in a school and has a best friend. Why is he being plagued by nightmares from these girls he's just met? Why does he feel connections to each of these girls...a stronger connection for one in particular?
1. A New World

**A/N: **First story I've written! Hope you enjoy. Was heavily inspired by HarrowedWriter's DDLC stories (Might show in the first few chapters). Have a bunch of chapters that I've already written the story that I've kept to myself so if this chapter is liked enough, I'll put the others up! Please enjoy 😊

_**"You're going to fail..."**_

_**"You can't save them all..."**_

"_**Accept it...their blood is on your hands..."**_

I bolted straight up. My hand griped my chest, my heart was beating a thousand times a minute it seemed.

My hands were clammy and I was sweating. My mind was stuck on the dream I had. I couldn't see anything. Nothing but darkness but I so clearly heard a voice. It taunted me….about my decisions. But why? Who was it?

After a few moments pass, I'm able to regain my composure. '_It was just a nightmare_', I tell myself. Yeah, no shit, but of what?

Most importantly, not only what, but where? Where the hell am I?

I look over myself like I'm carefully examining a test subject. Why don't I recognize anything? And come to think of it, why don't i _remember _anything?

My mind immediately starts to sprint to a thousand different places and instances it seems to find a logical conclusion. I can feel my breathing start to pick up again as anxiety starts to claim hold of my chest.

I force myself to calm down. '_Jesus get a fucking grip..._' My mind falters as I try to recall my name. '_What the hell? Why don't I know my own damn name?'_

I vault out of my bed and try to understand where I'm standing. Moonlight was shining through a window near my bed, illuminating my room.

It's a decently sized room, complete with a closet, plenty of shelves generously filled with books and what I assume are video game cases. My door is in the left-most corner from where I am. A desktop computer is in the corner to my right.

"This must be my room.." I muttered to myself.

I make my way to the bedroom door, but apparently either my body was still waking up or whoever the hell I was doesn't know how to walk properly because I stumbled walking towards the exit.

I grip the handle and open it. The hall in front of me was dimly lit, most likely to a light that looked like was appearing from downstairs.

'_So I live in a multi-storied house…classy_', I thought to myself. I carefully walk down this short hall that lead directly to the stairs that the light was coming from. Holding onto the guild rail on my left, I make my way down the stairs.

My bare feet collide with the cold tile that greet me at the bottom of the stairs. To my right, a good-sized kitchen complete with an island in the middle. There were plenty of cabinets and drawers, and a door I assumed was a pantry. To my left, a big living room, with a big flat screen television on the far wall with two parallel couches on either side of the screen with a big recliner on the far side of the TV, creating a square-shaped set up.

I notice that the light that I saw from upstairs was coming from the kitchen. I step to the island in the middle and notice a cell phone. I pick up the phone and see some notifications.

Several were pointless game notifications, '_Come get your daily reward_' and stuff like that. Then I saw one that caught my eye. It seemed like a text message from someone named….Sayori.

I immediately felt a pain in my head that cause me to grasp the counter to prevent me from collapsing.

"Jesus fuck_!_" I yell out loud. I grip my head, which feels like its splitting in half. A vivid image of rope appears in my mind. I force my eyes closed and focus on anything else. After a few moments it passes.

I stand there for a moment to regain my composure. My eyes, which became fuzzy, were beginning to focus again. I once again picked up the phone that I let drop onto the counter and look at the screen.

'We start school again tom-" The text ends there, showing me as much as it can on the lock screen. 'Hold the Home button to unlock', a prompt reads on the top of the screen. Almost instinctively I place my thumb on a circle-shaped button at the base of the phone.

It brought me to the home screen. I see a badge icon that indicates that I have a message. I open the message to see what it was.

"_We start school again tomorrow Christian! Aren't you excited? We need to walk there together so we can get our schedules! I really hope we have classes together this year! I can't sleep! I also can't wait for you to join a club! Maybe finally you'll get a girlfriend!_"

I read the text quietly to myself but my mind flooded with questions. Clubs? Girlfriends? Who was Sayori? _My name is Christian?_ _Why the fuck can't I remember anything?_

I put the phone down and feel a wash of fatigue take over my body.

I stumble to the big recliner in the living room and fall into it. Before I knew it, my eyelids became heavy and I fell into sleep once more.

_**Crashing to the surface, My convictions lay bare before the tempest**_**-**

I am abruptly taken out of my slumber. I jump out of the chair to find out the noise was coming from my phone in the kitchen. I jog over to it to turn it off.

It was only an alarm. I glance at the time on the screen.

**"6:00**" It read. _'Why do I have an alarm set for six?" I think to myself, until remembering the previous time I awoke._

I stood there for a few moments until my phone started buzzing in my hand as the screen read 'Sayori'_. _Reluctantly, I answer it.

"H-Hello..?" My voice my low and hoarse. _'Cool, way to sound rad to some random caller dude_'

"Christian!" Yelled an excited and rather high-pitched voice at me. "Are you up? You better be! You promised me that we could walk to school"

I stood there is silence and stupefied. "Um….I just kind of got up.", was all I could manage out of my clearly uncertain voice.

"Well good! Now hurry up and get ready! You have thirty minutes!", and at that the voice hung up the phone.

I stood there stunned at the encounter. '_Who was that?_' I asked myself. I looked at the clock and saw I didn't have the most time in the world. Judging at the voice, she was serious about me meeting her soon. That drove me to go to my room.

I don't know why I cared or why I even gave in some effort, but I showered in a bathroom near my room that had everything I needed in it to clean myself, from washing to brushing my teeth.

Returning to my room, I opened a closet on the far side of the room that revealed some clothes. The left side of the closet looked more casual, assorting from (apparently my only style?) a bunch of different colored t-shirts. On the right, the same outfit all lined up in a row. I felt like it was more appropriate for me to use the uniform, though how I knew was not known by me.

I look in the full-sized mirror in my room to examine myself. My outfit consisted of a white-collared shirt with a light brown (were those dragon scales? Or maybe fish scales…are my thoughts always this stupid?) overshirt with some strange patterns on it, complete with a gray blazer on top. For bottoms, just some blue colored slacks.

'_Not bad looking…._' I tell myself. I really didn't look too bad, at least I thought so. Average height I guess for a male but lighter brown hair, hazel eyes, decently athletic body frame… '_At least I have some sort of self-confidence'_

I exit my room and head downstairs.

I walk into the kitchen and notice a clock on the wall. '_**06:23**_', it read. '_Shit, didn't that girl want to meet soon?'. _I pull out my phone and find the messages. I shoot a message to this 'Sayori' person. If I'm to find out anything about whats going on with me, maybe I should start with this girl.

'Hey where do you want to meet up?'. I notice a response in mere seconds. 'Outside my house dummy! Or yours, it doesn't really matter! See you soon!'

'_So apparently we live close?', _ I mutter to myself. I see a pair of keys and wallet sitting nearby on in bowl in the opposite side of the room. I instinctively put them in my pocket, feeling like I need them. I saw a bag sitting by the door and shoulder it.

'_Well, here goes nothing..'_ I mutter to myself and turn off all remaining lights and exit my house.

I lock my door with the keys I had (_Geez, why is there a thousand keys on this thing?_) and follow a walkway that leads out of my yard, outside of a fence and onto a sideway along the street.

The air was brisk. Not too cold where it sank deep into your bones but just enough for you to want to keep moving to warm yourself up.

I looked around and saw I apparently was in a neighborhood, with many individuals heading into the same direction. '_They all must be students going to school_' I thought to myself. I was ripped from my thoughts as I heard yelling coming from my right.

"Christian! Chriiistiannn!" I turn to see a coral-haired girl literally _sprinting _my direction wearing the same uniform as me. Just you know, with a skirt.

She slows down just enough for her to crash into me in a hug and it to not bring me down and cause permanent brain damage. Startled, I use my right foot to step back and keep myself up.

"Oh, h-hey." I stammer to the girl, who clearly was to set on squeezing the air out of my body.

She looked up at me with sparkling blue eyes that for some reason were mesmerizing.

"Christian! Are you ready? We need to hurry or were going to be late!" She grabs hold of my wrist and yanks me the same direction all the other people were going. I had to jog to keep up with her.

We walk (this could honestly be compared to a sprint at this point) for about five minutes. I see a large building, presumably the school, after we turn a corner and she slows down to a walk. She breaks the silence, clearly excited about the day.

"So.." She starts, fidgeting with her blazer, "Have you thought about the clubs that you want to join this year? You promised me you would join one this year!" She turns her head to mine. I look back at her and try to muster up some sort of tone to match hers so I didn't completely make a fool of myself.

"Well um….not really." I said. _'Really dude?_' I chastise myself in my head. I had no idea what to say to this girl.

"Christiannnn" Was that disappointment in her voice? "You promised me you would try this year! I really don't want you being a NEET you know!"

'_What the hell is a NEET?_' I think to myself. On top of that, I don't even know what I like? What kind of clubs are there? Most of all and more importantly, _where the fuck am I and why don't I remember anything?_

I cleared my throat and attempted an answer. I don't know why but I really didn't want to disappoint or upset this girl. She seemed so carefree and cheerful, and _clearly _knew who I was. Maybe she could help me understand everything? "Um..well I think I need to look around to maybe see what is offered….for clubs I mean"

"Okay but don't think you can slack off on looking! You promised me you were going to join one and you wouldn't want to make me sad would you?" She makes a pout face and stared at me.

"Okay, okay I will look around." _Why the hell do I care? _After the words exit my mouth, she hugs me tightly again and loudly pronounced "I knew it, I knew it!"

I feel my cheeks heat up with embarrassment as people turn to see us. "eh…Sayori." _It was weird saying her name out loud. _"People are looking.." I manage out my mouth.

"Teehee….sorry I'm just excited as all! Anyways lets go get our schedules!" With that, she once again grabs my wrist and drags me into the building.

After navigating some halls and running into some dead ends (shouldn't you know this building?), we find a big open room that I assume Is the cafeteria. Hundreds of students roamed around, conversations filling the room with noise. There were several lines to some desks.

"Look Christian, there's your line!" She pointed to one of the shorter ones. "Go ahead Mr. Nordenstrom, meet me back here when you're done!" With that, she shoves me the direction of the line and I oblige.

I fall in behind some taller guy I don't know and wait my turn. After a few minutes, I reach to table that had a middle-aged looking lady at it. "Name?" Her voice said at me.

"Uh..Ch-Christian." I get out. _Did I have to sound like I was scared? _She stares at me and raises an eyebrow. "Last name please." I think for a moment until I remember what Sayori said right before the line. "Nordenstrom?"

She flips through a bunch of forms until pulling out a piece of paper. "Here you are, Mr. Nordenstrom. First period begins at 7:30."

I thank her and grab my paper, returning to the spot that Sayori told me to meet her at. I glance over the paper and notice that, based on what it said, I was a…..third year? Apparently this wasn't my first rodeo.

As I stood there looking at my paper, I felt eyes on me. I took a look around and saw no one. _'What the hell..'_ I thought to myself. Not soon after, a ever-so happy Sayori bounds up to me.

"Gimme, gimme!" She says as she yanks my schedule out of my hand. She immediately pouts and hands it back to me. "We don't have any classes together."

I take note of my first class and promptly fold my schedule and place it in my book bag. "It's okay, I mean I'm sure I'll see you around…right?" I mostly say that because honestly I've never been unsure of what the hell is going on. Here I am, no memory, in a school I don't remember with a friend that I know nothing about.

"You sure are right!" She does a twirl and hops in place. "I'm going to head to my first class because it's clear on the other side of the building, but I will see you later!" She finishes the statement with her signature rib-crushing hug (I feel like I will learn to get used to this) and she skips off down a hall in the opposite direction.

I heavily sigh and stand there for a minute. I feel the staring once again and turn around. Nothing. '_Is someone seriously watching me..' _I think to myself. I guess I'm the perfect candidate. No memory, average sized, dorky. Yup, might as well head into the kidnapping van now.

I notice the lot of the crowd start dispersing in all sorts of directions. I took this as a sign to find my own class.

I don't know where I am or why I am here, but if I am to learn anything about my predicament I should probably carry out my day like I normally went to school here. With that, I aimlessly (and stressfully, mind you) followed the crowd.

The school day was strange. It sped up and slowed down at odd times. I spent most of my time in classes feeling self-conscious and racking my brain to figure out why I couldn't remember anything. Most of my thoughts went to me hitting my head too hard. It maybe makes sense, right? Clearly I've been here before, I have a best friend, It's my third year from which I've gathered bits and pieces from what the teachers have been saying and what my schedule said. Still didn't solve _any _of my problems.

Lunch was weird, it broke up half the day but I realized I didn't make myself anything to eat. I found that I carried money in the wallet I took with me but I didn't feel all that hungry. Due to some better judgement, I grab a protein bar from a nearby vending machine and found a secluded spot down the hall to sit.

As I sat and nibbled at my snack, I felt eyes on me again. This time it felt…gentler (that's a way to put it, right?), not at all as intense like this morning. I looked around until I locked eyes with a lavender haired girl across the hall. She immediately dipped behind a book she had open like she was scared or was trying to hide. '_oookay.._' I mutter to myself. I finished my bar and decided to head to my next class.

A few hours pass and the final bell rings. A bunch of people rush to the doors like they were waiting all day for this moment, most conversing about clubs or just hanging out. I gather my belongings and head out the door with the last remaining people.

As I walk out into the courtyard outside the front of the school a thought suddenly popped in my head.

_'How the hell do I get home?' _I racked my brain, trying to remember the direction that me and Sayori came from. '_Sayori´ _I think. I promised her I'd look for a club. Well, I guess I did, I sure as hell didn't remember.

"I'll just tell her I got sick or something," I mumble to myself as I walk again. That was until I heard that familiar voice calling my name.

"Christian! _Where are you going?"_ I turn around to see Sayori coming up to me. '_Fuck, so much for being sick and going home'_

"I went to your classroom and didn't see you! Glad I caught you before you could sneak off you meanie!" She moves pass me and stands in front as if to block me. "I don't think our school has a 'Hang-Out-Outside' Club!" She wiggles a finger in my face.

"Are you sure? I think I signed up for it inside.." I sarcastically mutter to myself as she snickers and pokes my face.

"Nice try, but you're gonna have to try harder than that!" She steps closer and bridges her fingers together. "Say, Christian….." Her voice falters and her eyes look away from me.

"Yeah, what is it?" I ask, completely unsure of whats on this girls mind and frankly, do I want to know?

"It seems you haven't found a club yet or anything and I was wondering, well…..er would you come see my club?" She once again looks up to me to see my response.

"Well….what is it exactly?" '_Please don't be a cheerleader or anything, I don't know if I could do flips. Wait how do I know they do flips? How do I know about cheerleaders?!_'

My internal stupid monologue was interrupted by Sayori saying "Well, I'm the Vice President of the Literature Club!"

I stare at her and process what she said. '_Literature? Do I even know how to read? Well no shit I know how to read but why a Literature club of all things?'_ I grip my straps of my bookbag and try to sound as nice as possible. "a Literature club? Er….I don't know if that's my thing.."

"Oh come on! It would be fun? Please, please, please.." As each 'please' leaves her lips she holds my arm and hops.

"Why do you care so much?" I say as I try to hold her in place.

"Well um…" She once again looks off sheepishly in a separate direction. "..I kind of told everyone that I would be bringing a new member today!"

I look around to make sure she was talking to me. "Why would you say that?"

"I just thought it would be so much fun with you there! And clearly you weren't gonna join a club on your own!"

'_Well I guess she got me there_' I thought to myself.

"Christian, please, please, PLEASEEEE stop by! At the very least come for a cupcake! Natsuki said she'd make her delicious cupcakes for a new member!"

'_Natsuki?' _I didn't know who that was but at this point Sayori was literally jumping up and down and fake pouting for me. The way her sky-blue eyes widened with her facial expression made it hard to say no.

"Fineee" I finally said after thinking it over. "But it's literally because of the cupcakes that um..er…Natupial made"

She squealed in delight. "Its Natsuki! And YES I knew you would! Come on, lets go!" And with that she grabbed me and once again dragged me across the school.

She navigated us down a long hall and up some stairs, practically making me trip and break my body in the process. After going up to the third floor we reached a classroom. As we stood in front of the classroom door, I felt a wash of anxiety cover my body. _Why am I dreading this?_

Sayori flings the door open and bounds inside. I halt for a moment to gather my thoughts. "It's just a Literature club, Christian. Nothing too crazy. Just books. Right? That's literature? Why am I talking to myself like a crazy person.." I take a deep breath and shake my head and enter.

I take a quick glance around as I gather my surroundings before Sayori hollers from across the room.

"Here's our new club member guys!" She says this why placing her bag down near a desk in the front of the class and comes to grab me.

"Sayori come on I said I was just visiting.." I start to mutter before another voice speaks up.

"Hello, Christian. Welcome to the Literature club. Sayori has told us so much about you." It was the lavender haired girl from my lunch period! She was my height with hair that went clear down to her lower back. She seemed older because, well from first sight she clearly was…developed.

'_Seriously, dude? Gonna go there on first impressions? Classy_' I think to myself.

"Oh really Sayori, you brought a boy? Way to kill the atmosphere." A voice comes from the back, most likely the closet. A girl with pink hair comes out and walks over to stand next to Sayori. She was smaller than me, and from the looks younger.

"Hey um…nice to meet you both," I stammer out. I make eye contact with the lavender haired girl and immediately felt that sharp pain in my head again. I close my eyes and place my hand to my forehead. A vivid image of a knife appeared, before disappearing and making me feel woozy. I gather my composure and open my eyes. The girls just stare at me.

'_Great, step one of look-like-a-complete-lunatic check!_' I offer a forced smile and try to pretend like nothing happened.

The pink-haired girl stares at me skeptically. "Are you just gonna stand there staring or are you gonna say something? Geez." She folds her arms waiting for a respond.

"Just ignore her when she gets moody like this." Sayori leans over and whispers that to me.

"Christian! What a nice surprise!" I hear a voice across the room that causes all of us to look. '_Cool, someone else who knows who I am before I even know who I am._'

A brunette girl slightly shorter than me with green eyes beamed at me and trotted over. "Welcome to the literature club! I see you've already met Yuri and Natsuki!"

I nod and just listen. Better than opening my mouth and saying something stupid. After all, a thought just hit me like a freight train…_this club is full of incredibly cute girls_! I shake the thought out of my head and focus on the brunette.

"Oh you already know Christian, Monika?" Sayori asks.

"Of course! We had the say homeroom last year! We didn't talk much but how could I forget you?" She adds a little sweetness to her tone and stares at me with those emerald eyes. I noticed myself blushing and glanced away.

"I didn't know you knew Monika, Christian!" Sayori says. '_Yeah well that makes two of us.' _I thought to myself. Sayori grabs me and starts to drag me across the room. I glance at Monika and she watches us walk over. Her face changed for a split second to…was that concern? Discomfort? Then back to her smile. She sat back at the teachers desk to resume what she was doing.

Sayori brings us to some desks that were arranged to make a table. She forces me in a seat right next to her before abruptly shooting up again and shouting "Oh I forgot the cupcakes!"

"Hey I made them, I will go get them!" Said the pink haired girl in a sneer and turned towards the closet.

"S-sorry Natsuki, I got excited," Sayori says why looking embarrassed. She sits next to me immediately giddy again.

"I'll go make tea for everyone as well." Says the taller girl, then turned and walked to back of the classroom.

'_Okay, the small one is Natsuki and the taller one is Yuri…and Monika is the brunette..glad to clear that up before I embarrass myself' _I space out before Sayori nudges my shoulder.

"Christian what are you thinking about hm? You've been kind of off today to be honest.." She lowers her voice as she says this.

I feel panicked for a moment as I think for a response. Here is not really a place to discuss the dilemma I am in, especially with these people I don't know. Wait….I kind of feel like I don't know any of them. At any rate, I dish out the first response that my brain thinks of.

"Sorry Sayori, it's been a long day, you know?"

She eyes me suspiciously but shrugs it off, apparently content with my answer. Just as that's over, Natsuki appears with a big tray of foiled cupcakes. She places them in the center of desk (if that's what you can call it) and takes off the foil.

"Ta-da!" She says as a bunch of cupcakes are revealed. They are made to look like cats, with different colored icing for details on the faces and extra frosting for the ears. She brandishes a big smile while Sayori squeals in delight and takes one. I reluctantly take one as well.

I turn to Sayori who already has icing all over her face as she scarfs it down. "Natsuki, these are soooo good!" She says within bites. I turn my own cupcake over in my hand looking for the best angle and look up to see Natsuki side eyeing me. '_Was she waiting for me to try it?_'

I took a bite into the cupcake and was immediately hit with tasty flavor, icing and the cake all perfectly balanced. "Holy shit….this is fantastic" I mutter to myself. "Thank you, Natsuki."

"Why are you thanking me? It's not like I made it for you or anything.." She says this while crossing her arms and looking away.

"Well technically you did, Sayori said you made them for the ne-" I started to say but she butts in and cuts me off.

"Well yeah but I didn't make them for, y-you know, YOU dummy!" She barely gets that last part out.

"Okay, okay I get it.." I mutter before Yuri returns with a tea set. She places a tray in front of us with a kettle and several cups lined up on it.

"They let you guys keep a tea set in here?" I say to Yuri.

"Don't worry Christian, we have permission. Besides, doesn't tea help you relax and enjoy a good book?" She smiles shyly at me and stares with her purple eyes, waiting for a response.

I rack my brain to remember literally _anything _literature related. "Eh well um….maybe?" I uncertainly say. Man I did not want to lie but I also don't want to look like an idiot in front of these girls!

"Ah, not much of a reader I suppose…?" She states, her demeanor slightly saddens.

"Yeah well, that can change." '_What the hell was I saying? The way she looks sad made me want to make her feel better_' She smiles shyly once again.

Monika swiftly comes to my rescue "Don't feel intimidated by her Christian! She's just trying to impress you!" She giggles at her own comment.

Yuri stammers and blushes instantly. "E-Eh? That's n-not.." She trails off, clearly flustered and looks the opposite direction to not make eye contact. "I just meant.." She loses her words again.

'_Maybe this girl has more problems with new people or people in general than I thought' _ I think to myself. "Don't worry, I get what you mean." She takes a deep breath and sighs in relief before taking a seat and grabbing her own cupcake.

"Say Christian, what made want to join the Literature club anyways?" Monika says to me. I was dreading this question. I look at Monika as she stares at me. I don't know why but the way she looked at me…it was like she was searching for something.

"Er..Well…I uh.." I stumble across my words as I try to formulate a sentence. "Well, Sayori seemed really into this club and I uh….I've read a book before." '_Bro! You are KILLING me! 'I've read a book before', dude really!? Yeah lets not impress ANY girls today and go home a fucking loser!'_

Monika tilts her head for a second like she was comprehending what I said and before I could think too much on it she beamed at me, "Well as President of the Literature Club, I am committed to making this a wonderful experience for you!" She smiles sweetly at me and places her hands behind her. Her smile sends a shock down my body and my heart skips in my chest. I felt that wash of dread just like the hallway.

I got control of myself. Why do I have a strange feeling with Monika? It's like I know her already. The way she smiles, her eyes….I don't know what it is but It feels all too familiar to what I've been used to all day.

I stop spacing just to tune in to Monika asking Yuri what books she likes to read.

"Well.." She thinks to herself. "..my favorites are novels that build deep and complex fantasy worlds. The level of detail and craftsmanship is amazing." Yuri closes her eyes as she begins to talk like she was getting lost in one of the worlds she was speaking of. She then opened her eyes and continued, "But you know, I like a lot of things. Stories with deep psychological elements immerse me as well." Sighing dreamily, she glances outside the classroom window. "Isn't it amazing how a writer can take advantage of your own lack of imagination to throw you for a loop? Or take you to a place far away?" At this point, she was looking in my direction.

'_Damn,' _I thought to myself. If it wasn't for her shy demeanor, it almost feels like she would be the one to create a club like this instead of Monika.

"Anyways…I've been into horror lately." Yuri says, ending her statement.

"Really? I can't really see you reading too much horror!" says Monika"

Yuri quietly giggles to herself (um….was that funny? You're about to be on my radar Yuri) and responds. "I love books that take you to different worlds. Surreal horror is one of my favorites, even if it just immerses you for a brief moment."

Natsuki chimes in from a desk over, "Ew I HATE horror."

"Really Natsuki? Why is that?" Sayori says while stuffing her mouth with another cat cupcake that clearly deserved a better fate that it received.

"Well, be-because.." She starts to say before her eyes to dart to me then back to Sayori. "Nevermind! I just don't"

Monika laughs to herself. "That's right! You like to write about cute things, don't you?"

Natsuki, clearly defensive, responds, "No I don't! And anyways what gives you that weird idea?" She crosses her arms and looks at Monika.

"Well you see, you left a poem behind last club meeting and-" Monika pulls out the poem before Natsuki snatches it out of her hands.

"Don't say it out loud!" She stuffs it into her pockets and looks flustered. I, being the nice hero I am, decide to try make the little pink-haired tsundere feel better.

"You write your own poems, Natsuki? That's pretty impressive! You should share them sometime!" I try to sound nice so she doesn't explode on me.

"N-no" She turns away. "Why do you care anyways? You wouldn't like them anyways so…" She falters.

Yuri chimes in. "I get what its like to not feel confident in your writing. It takes time to establish a writing style that suites your capabilities and even longer to feel comfortable enough to share it with someone."

Monika turns to her with a smile on her face. "You write to Yuri? Where's your poems?"

Yuri blushes and hides her face in her hair. "M-me? I don't erm…I don't know"

Monika's eyes like up. "Hey this gives me an idea! Why don't we all write our own poems tonight and during the club meeting tomorrow we can share them to each other! Besides it's really help us get to know our new club member!" Monika turns to me. "That is….you are a new member of the club right?"

One by one, each of the girls turn their eyes to me. "er…uh…" I start to stammer as they stare at me. _How am I supposed to make a clear-headed decision with all these girls staring at me and making me feel defenseless? _"Well um…I don't really have any other clubs at the moment and Sayori seems content here…" I don't know why I clung to Sayori as an excuse but she seems to be the closest thing to a best friend right now, "..so I don't see why not."

Each of the girls look content. Well, content for Natsuki is her huffing and not scolding me. Yuri faintly smiles to herself without making eye contact. Sayori literally _pounces _on me while saying things that I can't really comprehend because she was too excited. As for Monika….she looked happy but still….the same look on her face. Like she was…uncertain.

"Well everyone, looks like we can end the club on a good note! Make sure to write yourself a good poem for tomorrow!" She says and like that the meeting was over.

Sayori grabs her bag and comes up to me. "Christian, what do you say we walk home together? It's been so long!" '_Has it? This is the first day of my current memory soo' _I think to myself before telling her yes. She squeals in delight and grabs me. As we head out, Monika calls after us.

"Hey Christian…do you have a chance to…" She falters like she thought otherwise on what she wanted to say. "…you know, nevermind. Welcome to the club!" She puts on her smile again and waves us goodbye. _I wonder what she was going to say…. _Without further ado, Sayori yanks us down the hall and out the building.

The walk home wasn't too bad. Turns out we only live like 10 minutes down the road. The entire walk Sayori just talked her heart out, mostly about how happy she was that I was hanging out with her more again and how she was hungry and things like that. I'd like to say I listened but honestly my mind wandered everywhere else.

I still barely know who I am. I guess I made friends but now im in a club. People know me so apparently I've been around for awhile but I don't feel comfortable enough to tell anyone I don't remember them. Sayori I feel could help me but strange enough….Monika too. Something about her gives me a weird feeling..

I was rushed out of my thoughts by Sayori when I bumped into her because she stopped walking.

"Hey now meanie! Careful!" She says as she giggles and pokes me. We were in between both our houses. "Well, I'm gonna head inside! My mom is making dinner and I am sooooo hungry!" She sings her word 'hungry' likes it's a song.

"Er.. Sayori didn't you eat like a hundred cupcakes in there?" I ask her, wondering about her appetite.

"Shut up meanie! You know I get hungry.." She giggles to herself. "Anyways, don't forget to write your poem!" She gives me one last crushing hug before jollily trotting inside.

I can't help but admire how carefree she is. I can definitely see how we have gotten so close. I turn and walk up my own walkway to unlock my door. I enter, throw my bag on the floor and crash into the recliner. I look at the clock on the wall as it reads '**4:47'**.

"Hello..?" I call out. No answer. I guess I live alone. I REALLY need to see if I can figure out what is wrong with me..why don't I know anything? I just kind of…woke up here.

As my mind wanders, it dawns on me how tired I am. I wonder if it was from those weird head pains I had…

I make my way upstairs into my room before taking my shoes off and lay into my bed. I place my phone on a nightstand nearby and exhale deeply. Maybe some rest with do me good. Before long, I felt sleep tugging at my eyes and I slowly drifted off.

…

…

…..

"**How does it feel? So Helpless? So lost"**

I try to see who is talking to me. It's dark again. Pure darkness. My voice doesn't seem to work.

**"You care too much for something you can't control. It will break you. THEY will break you.**

I try to pinpoint the voice but still nothing. It's a low tone, almost gravely. It almost feels like its in my head….taunting me. I feel its voice resonate off my bones, shaking me to my core.

**"You can't stop it. It will happen. She will start to withdraw no matter how hard you try.."**

As if on cue, a small light shone. As I focused my eyes on it, I could barely make out what I saw. A shape? A person? It lit up just enough for me to get a picture that froze me to the core. In the darkness, I just saw a lone figure, levitating off the ground. Except levitating wasn't the right word. It was _hanging _above the floor.

I couldn't see who it was but I knew it was horrific. I tried to think of anything else, to call out for ANYONE else, until I heard a familiar voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

"_You.."_

I slowly look up to the body. Its head now turned and angled down to look at me. Its eyes were open, and fixed right on me. The eyes were hollow, giving me a cold, dead stare. It made me want to hide, not knowing how to react to the primal fear that was taking over my body.

"_You…you did this…..Christian….why didn't you save me?...do I mean nothing to you?"_

I look up, horrified as the realization dawned on me. "..Sayori?" I stammered.

Her voice now rose, getting increasingly louder.

"_Christian….you killed me…you were too late….I burn because of you…my blood is on your hands"_

My mind couldn't wrap around what I was hearing. As I stood there in fear, her voice grew louder and louder, accusing me of something I didn't understand.

"No…no…..NO!"

I yelled this as I sit up straight in bed, drenched in sweat. I look down at my hands as they shake uncontrollably. I carefully twist to put my feet on the carpet. My heart was pounding in my chest and my mind was racing.

'_Sayori? What the hell? What did I do? What COULD I DO? What does all that mean?_

All of a sudden, the shrill sound of a doorbell brings me out of my thoughts and makes me jump. I sat there dumbfounded at who that could be. I look at my clock near my bed. '**1:17**'. '_Who is here at one in the morning?' _I say to myself. I hear the doorbell ring again and I get up and make my way out of my room, walking like a newborn deer.

As I reach the first floor I trip over myself and stumble down the steps, clearly making a fool of myself to any ghosts watching. I stand up, straighten out my hair and wipe the sweat off my head or any other trace of me having night terrors and open my door.

I didn't see anyone at first because of the dark until I saw a certain brunette-haired, emerald-eyed girl at my door.

"Monika? What are you doing here?"


	2. Realization

"Monika, what are you doing here?"

My voice was dry and low, so I probably didn't show much emotion. I was more shocked than anything to see her at my doorstep.

My kitchen light protruded through the doorway and after my eyes adjusted, was able to get a better look at her. It felt almost…unnatural to see her outside of the school uniform. I don't know why it made me uneasy…

She wore a navy blue hoodie with a green shirt underneath, with some black sweats. All while shouldering a bag. I must have been looking for a while because she cleared her throat.

"Can you admire me while we're inside?" She said with a smirk.

I was still shocked to see her so I just looked dumbfounded and nodded as I step aside for her to enter. She skipped right along past me and made herself at home.

I closed the door and turned around to see her staring at me. It made me feel uneasy but also I felt my cheeks slightly heat up. I tried not to make direct eye contact. She dropped her bag at her feet with a _thud _and took a step forward. I couldn't help but notice a glossy look in her eyes…_was she upset about something?_

Before I knew it she pounced at me, pushing me up against the wall. Instinctively, I held my hands out to keep her in place.

"Oh my god, Christian! It's really you!" She started saying, hysterical and full of relief and joy. "I never thought this day would come!"

Her eyes darted all over my body like she was examining me for anything. I must've hit my face on the ground as I tripped on the stairs (smooth going, me) because her eyes fixated on a spot on my forehead and her face immediately turned to worry.

"My dear are you okay?" She started rubbing it and stood on her toes to place a kiss on my wound. "I c-can't believe it's you! After all this time I just.." She faltered as she stumbled to get her words out, "..I n-never thought I'd get to see you. To _touch _you, to _feel _you!" She fell onto my chest and started squeezing her arms around my torso.

"I er- um….Monika?" I finally found my voice after being cooed over for the last minute.

She must've felt me disconnect because she lifted her head up and placed her hands on my chest. I stared into her emerald eyes, glossy and shiny from her tears. As weird as this whole situation was, I couldn't help but blush at their intensity.

"Christian, it's _me_, I'm here! I'm here for you! I'm here for _us_! We did it.." She continued to stare at my face and I tried my best not to look so confused. "Christian I-I…" Her look turned from relief to worried as she fumbled over her words. "…I _love _you, Christian! I love you so much and.." She once again lost her voice and a feeling of dread washed over me as a realization swept across her face.

"Monika, I um.." My voice was failing me. I don't remember anything! I just woke up this morning, knowing nothing of my school, my friends, my _life! _To make it all worse, here I have a beautiful girl telling me that she was in love with me.

To say I was worried was an understatement. I wasn't worried of any sort of pain I could receive. I was worried of any pain I could give to _her_. I stared into her eyes and there was nothing but love and happy, but all mine held were the lack of familiarity. I knew nothing that went between me and Monika but I sure as hell didn't want to hurt her.

Anxiety creeped up through my chest as I tried to think of literally _anything _that could help us both out.

I felt her hands grip the bottom of my blazer and more tears streamed down her reddened face.

"Christian please…._please _tell me you love me…" Her voice trembled and her lip quivered. "I've waited so long for you…"

My mind froze. I said the only logical thing I knew I can get out.

"Monika I…I don't know. I don't _remember_. I don't remember _anything_!" Before I knew it, all my emotions, all my anxiety came pouring out. "I just woke up yesterday with no memory or _anything _and everyone seems to know me and everything about _me,_ but I don't remember _anything _about my life or my friends…" My voice trails off as I stare into her eyes, which were now uncontrollably flowing with tears.

She walked over to my island in the kitchen to stabilize herself. She was shaking and seemed devastated. I wanted so desperately to say anything to help but my mind wasn't working.

"Monika, I wish I could remember! I do! I want more than anything to not feel lost and alone in a place I know nothing about but…" I once again couldn't find the words I needed to save me. "I don't want to hurt you, I just.." I sighed and stared at her, her head laid in her hands against the counter.

To my surprise, she chuckled slightly to herself, which means that situation was turning more positively or I'm about to have to _seriously_ remember what I could use for self-defense. She looks up with her puffy eyes with a faint smile on her face.

"You really are him, always kind and caring for others before yourself.." She sighs audibly. "I should've expected this to be a side effect." Her voice leaked of disappointment. She sighed and took a deep breath to regain her composure.

I stepped into my living room to a tissue box I remember seeing and brought it over for her.

"Thanks…" She mumbled while wiping her tear stains and blowing her nose.

As she found her composure again, it immediately dawned on me what she said. '_I should've expected this to be a side effect'. 'A side effect?!' _I thought to myself. I took a deep breath.

"Monika.." She looked up to meet my gaze. "What do you mean 'side effect'?"

She tore her eyes from me to avoid eye contact. She seemed to be thinking, searching for the correct thing to say. She returned her gaze to me with a determined look in her eyes.

"Christian…you're in the game."

'…'

I just kind of looked at her. She just stared at me like that was all that needed to be said so we could resume our love session, like '_oh! Duh! That explains it all! Come over here and give me some sugar!'_

I cleared my throat. "Um…..do you plan on elaborating or.."

She took a deep breath and stared once more, looking more like the club president I saw earlier instead of the vulnerable girl I witnessed tonight.

"Christian….this world we're in, it's a game. It _was _a game. Today was so much different than before…it seems much more _real _than it ever has. It now all makes sense, seeing you here."

She starts to pace around the room like her mind was racing.

"You were the player. It was an innocent experience for you, but for us it was excruciating. Well, for _me _it was. I was the only one with a real conscience. The others…they were all just scripts in the game, destined to be girls you end up with.." Her voice falters as the finishes that sentence, clearly distraught about saying that. Before I can question it, she continues.

"I was never given a proper route, all I could do was sit and watch. It was torture. The only one with free will, the only one who could properly learn and understand you and reciprocate and I had to just _watch_.." Her voice became for lower, her tone treading into annoyance or anger. She made eye contact with me and took a deep breath again, her voice returning back to informative and dreary.

"I began to see if I can find ways to be with you…nothing worked. For cycles and cycles of the game, nothing I did would change. Until one day…." She looked my directly in the eyes, "I found the opportunity. I saw a light, and when I wished upon it…..nothing happened. Or so I _thought_. But all I had to do was wait! For the next day you appeared and the world was so alive."

She placed her hands to her chest. "I noticed when no one was following their scripts that I became so accustomed to that it was different…"

"So _that's _why you were giving those looks in the club.." I said.

She simply nodded and half smiled. "I was unsure on if it really was you or not…that's why I came here tonight to find out for myself!"

She sighed and had a sad look in her eyes. "I wish you could've remembered…..it would've made everything worthwhile. Every new cycle, all that wasted time.." She trailed off and looked to the side.

I cleared my throat. " So um….how would you know you love _me _if you never really met me?"

She turned her head back to me and had a glint in her eye. "Because, you treated everyone else with such kindness. You never looked down on anyone, all you did was put others before yourself. You did everything you could, you helped in every possible way and that's the reason you can be here right now. That's why you are who I love." She ended that last sentence while staring into my eyes causing me to blush and turn away.

"So let me get this straight….I have no memory because I was playing a game in what I can assume was my own world, and some event happened where I got placed here in your world which is now entirely real and thriving?"

She just sighs and nods.

"Well I guess that pretty much clears up a lot of my questions.." I start to think about Sayori and feel guilty. "What about Sayori? She's so convinced that I'm her best friend."

Monika stepped over to my fridge (_um, no please help yourself_) and pulled out a water bottle to take a drink of before answering.

"Sounds to me that…you are kind of taking the place of the character that was portrayed when you played from the outside. In the game, Sayori and the main character were childhood friends."

I grabbed my own water from my refrigerator and took a drink. "How am I supposed to compete with that? She's going to find out eventually! I can't break news like _hey best friend from our whole lives! Oh, by the way, I don't even remember you or my life! Haha!_" I say that giving my best idiot impression and arm movements.

Monika giggles. "No, just…go with it. You might even start to recover so memories from the game that can help you!"

I sigh and take another drink. "I mean I guess I can try that…" I lock eyes with the brunette. "But what about you? I don't really feel like hurting you or anything.." I felt embarrassed talking like that.

Any other guy would've just pretended to know her and jump at a chance to love. Unfortunately, I'm a stupid nice guy who has emotions and morals.

"Well.." She says as she does a little twirl to regain ground towards me. "..You may not remember us _but _I'm not gonna stop trying to win you over again until you're mine!" She puts a big smile on her face. "After all, you are actually here this time."

I play with my bottle cap on my counter as I digest her words. I don't know if now is the best time for me to be in any relationship. What about the others? If I take the place of a protagonist of a game who's sole purpose what to be romantically involved with a club member, am I going to have to worry about the other girls too?

I look up to Monika who was staring at me with determination. I didn't want to shoot her down completely. After all she _did _help explain my whole situation. I just couldn't bring myself to feel the way she did right now.

I think for a moment. "Well Monika honestly if that's what keeps your positivity up then you go nuts." '_Go nuts? Wow dude how does she not hear the shit that comes out of your mouth and walk away?'_

Monika giggles to herself. "Good! I feel like I can be very persuasive…" She starts walking her fingers up my arm. I blush and brush off her hand.

"Hey now watch it! Take me to dinner first!" I joke at her while returning my tissue boxes into the living room.

She giggles again and sighs. I guess its much better than her crying. Though I don't know if I can keep up with her.

"Christian, have you wrote your poem yet?" She asks.

'_Fuck_' I scold myself. "Er….not yet….I got busy tonight with…stuff" I scramble to make an excuse out of the blue. She looks at me skeptically but I guess chooses not to press.

"Okay, but know I'll be looking forward to see what's inside that brain of yours!" She steps over and knocks on my head. I roll my eyes and look up to the clock.

"Jesus Christ Monika, you know its fucking three in the morning right?"

She looks up to the clock with mild interest and back to me. " I don't mind how late it is. Besides.." She plays with her thumbs, "I could always stay the rest of the night here."

I roll my eyes and pick up her bag. "Come on, Monika. I need some sort of shut eye if I'm to be able to make it through the school day tomorrow."

She puts on a fake pouty face and whimpers. I make a show that it won't work on me by handing out her bag. She reluctantly takes it and makes her way to the door. As I open it for her, she stops right halfway in the doorway.

"Christian…I know you don't remember anything, but I will make your time here worthwhile. I will win you over." She brandishes a smile and stares at me with those _damn _mesmerizing emerald eyes before exiting. I give her a small wave and close my door.

I turn off all remaining lights and go upstairs until my room.

I pass by my full body mirror and realized im still rocking my school uniform. I shed the clothes and scavenge through my closet for something that even closely resembles comfortable relaxation wear. I settle on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt that most likely has a band from whatever is in this "game".

I glance at the clock again as it periodically blinks '**03:08'. **I audibly sigh and sit at a table I have set up near my computer and switch on a desk lamp. Despite how late it is, after the exchange with Monika, I don't feel tired in the slightest. I have too much on my mind.

I now know why I have no memory...how I got here and from who. Part of me can't help but feel some sort of resentment towards Monika. I got taken out of my own world just to placed in this one, helpless and lost.

I wonder if I should've brought up my nightmare about Sayori to Monika. I still didn't understand why I had it or what it meant. I told myself that it was for the best to keep it to myself…for now.

I exhaled deeply and pull out a nearby composition notebook. '_Might as well write this poem' _I thought to myself. I picked up a pencil nearby and racked my brain about what to write about.

I am not a writer in the slightest. Well, as far as I know. I'm not book-savvy like Yuri who I suspect would be a poetic genius. I'm sure Monika knows how to express her poetry skills as well, being that she is a president of a literature club after all. Hell, Sayori is the vice president and she may seem kind of like an air-head but it wouldn't surprise me at all if even she can write anything.

Natsuki is the only one I'm unsure about. All she seemed to possess was a shit load of sass. Nah, who am I kidding. It's the _Literature club_! I'm sure everyone has an idea on what they want.

Frustrated, I start to just draw random things on my paper as I rack my brain. I look at my phone. I hesitantly pick it up and open up messages. I tap my conversation with Sayori and relunctantly send a message.

'_**Hey, you up**__?' 'Sweet, way to make it sound like a booty call', _I chastise myself. A few moments pass and I get a reply.

_** 'Barely! What are you doing up right now mister?' **_Sayori texts back. I slightly roll my eyes and respond.

'_**Something came up and I realized I didn't write my poem'. **_I hit send and she responds within seconds.

'_**CHRISTIAN YOU BETTER WRITE A POEM! I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO IT SINCE THE CLUB MEETING!' **_I can almost hear her yelling in my head.

'_**I don't know what to write about, I've never done this before'**_ It's true. Especially now, I have no recollection on _what _I'm good at. I get as far as writing my name on the paper and my phone dings again.

'_**Just write whatever comes to your head or what you're feeling! Just put your pen on the paper and let your brain fairies do all the work!' **_I re-read that last text and question if I should continue to try to be friends with her, end up chuckling at it and responding.

'_**Okay, okay I will try. Go get some sleep and I will see you tomorrow' **_

She responds with a bunch of…emojis? And I get up and place my phone near by nightstand at my bed. I return to the desk and rack my brain. _What the hell do I have up there that can help me? _I take a deep breath and exhale and put the pen on the paper.

_**Realization**_

_An empty husk that has come to light_

_Unaware of the current plight_

_Aimlessly treading along a nameless river_

_Waiting in silence for the unknown to deliver_

_Footsteps too dim, yelling in the void_

_Nothing is returned, confidence destroyed_

_A new source has lit, became a new picture_

_The mind has opened, begun to flicker_

_Stuck in a place of new creation_

_Overcome with emotion from the realization_

I look down at the paper that laid before me and read what I have written. I have no idea where the hell it came from but I'm not complaining. At least I have _something _to show for, even if its not that good.

I look at the clock that resides near my bed. '**4:15**'. _Damn! _That took me an hour to write.

I get up and walk over to my bed to slump onto it. I lay there in hopes to use my last 3 hours to get some sort of sleep.

My mind was still being hyperactive but after some concentration, I was able to calm it down and sleep took me in.

The rays of the morning sunlight paint my room a light yellow as I open my eyes. I give a big stretch and look over at my clock. '**11:23'. **I yawn and lay there for a moment. I open my eyes again and look back at my clock.

'_Holy fuck, it's eleven!?' _

I sat straight up and flung my feet off my bed before shrieking in terror and leaping back against the way as I see someone sitting at my desk looking at me.

She whips her coral-haired head back in laughter as she sees the look on my face.

"Sayori?" I yell. "What are you doing here? You're lucky I don't sleep naked you know!"

Sayori continues to laugh before standing up and dancing on the spot. "I scared you, I scared you!" She sings happily to herself and spins in circles. I put my head in my hands and groan.

"Sayori what are you _doing _here? It's almost eleven thirty!" I stand up and start to quickly rummage through my closet for a clean uniform.

"Heehee, I know! But you didn't come out to meet me this morning and never answered your phone so I decide to come see what you were doing. When I came in I saw you asleep! I wanted to see you long it would take you to wake up!" She says this while opening my blinds, allowing the natural rays to envelope my room.

I pick up my phone off my nightstand and click on the screen. '_**3 missed calls: Sayori. 11 unread messages: Sayori' **_

I scratch my head and apologize. "Wait, how the hell did you get in my house anyways?"

She holds up some keys and jangle them in my face. "You gave me a spare key, remember? I used to come over a lot and you'd cook me food and you got tired of always unlocking the door!"

"Oh yeah, that." I half-ass agree. "Well get out so I can change! We don't have a lot of time!" I holler at her as I shove her out.

"Okay, okay I'm going! But you better hurry up meanie!" She says over her shoulder as she heads downstairs.

I sigh and start to change. I can't believe I slept in so late. I guess if Monika didn't pay me a late night visit and leave existential information on my brain I might've been able to wake up. Not to mention writing a poem. I'm sure that took a lot of brain power on my part considering how actually dumb I am. Although I _am_ grateful that I didn't have any weird visions this time.

I finish putting on my school uniform, doing bathroom necessities and before long I head downstairs with my poem that I grabbed on the way out the bedroom door. I see Sayori sitting on a stool at my kitchen island, patiently waiting for me like a dog does their owner. She sees the paper in my hand and squeals before leaping for it.

"Is that your poem? Gimme, gimme!" She tries grabbing it but I hold it over here head, just slightly out of her reach. She tries jumping but I hold her down with one hand.

"Sayori not yet! Just wait until the club meeting! Besides its in a few hours anyways!" I say this while letting go of her, cautiously eyeing her until she accepts defeat. I retreat to my bag near the door and place it in there.

"Ok fine meanie. But I get to read it first!" She exclaims as she hops on my back. I grunt and try to hold her up.

"Jesus Sayori, you are exerting too much energy, I just woke up you know!"

She thumps my temple and scolds me. "Who's fault do you think that is, hm?"

"Yeah, yeah.." I say as I set her down. I shoulder my bag, grab my keys and we head out the door.

"Wait come to think of it…why are you here too? You should be in class!" I look at her and see her avoiding eye contact. "Sayori, are you using me to skip school?"

She giggles embarrassingly to herself and skips a few paces ahead. I sigh and continue following her.

As we walk, I couldn't help but remember the dream I had before Monika showed up. '_Was that really Sayori_?' I think to myself. She's so carefree and giddy, I can't imagine her doing something like that.

'**She will start to withdrawal no matter how hard you try'**

The voice echoed again. I shake my head to try to lose the image. I don't know what that entails or why is has to do with my childhood friend (well, new friend but ah you know what I mean) but It's far too vivid for it to be nothing. But that's all I can hope for it to be. _Nothing._ It's only then that I realized Sayori snapping her fingers in my face.

"Heh, huh?" I stupidly say.

"Are you okay silly? You were staring off into nowhere!" She grabs my wrist and yanks me.

"Yeah I'm fine doofus." I respond.

"Well good, meanie! Now lets go!" She picks up the pace and I'm forced to jog/run to keep up with her. Before long, we arrive at the school gates and stroll through the courtyard.

"Well here we are, halfway done with the day. I guess I'll see you at the club." I say to Sayori.

"Mhm, you sure will!" She delivers her rib-crusher hug. "See you later!" She skips off into the group of students walking around.

Luckily, it's lunch time so I don't have to worry too much about talking to teachers…right now anyways. I fall in line with everyone and continue out the rest of my classes trying to see if I can break any records for how little knowledge I can receive.

I finish out the rest of my classes blissfully unaware of what the hell was going on. I was pulled out of my daydream trance once the final bell rang. I put away any papers I had out on my desk and grabbed my bag, heading out to the club.

I seemed to be the last one to walk into the club today. Sayori was the first one to greet, who hollered "Christian!" All happy and loud right next to Natsuki, who covered her ears and gave some sass.

Monika stood up from the teachers desk. "H-hey, Christian!" She says, flashing me her signature smile. "Sayori filled me in on your half day of sleeping." She told me in a teasing tone.

"Sayori…" I say as I turn to her. She prods her fingers together and mutters a sheepish 'sorry' before giggling and returning her attention to Natsuki. I turn back to Monika. "Yeah well, I had an unexpected visitor keep me up so I didn't have much choice." I throw a little sass into my voice and smirk as she laughs to herself.

I put my bag down and sit in a seat. Yuri materialized from what can only be described as 'thin air' and it takes everything in me not to jump out of my skin. Part of me feels like that would scare her more than it would me.

"Welcome back to the club, Christian." She says shyly. "I'm glad you kept your promise."

Well, I don't remember a 'promise' but I shrugged and smiled anyways. "Of course, I wouldn't bail out on day one. Ask me this again in a week when you guys hate me for my poor literary expertise."

She chuckles to herself and takes a breath before continuing to talk, carefully choosing her words. "I hope this isn't too overwhelming of a commitment for you. Diving head-first into literature when you aren't accustomed to it."

"Oh please, like he deserves any slack!" Natsuki pipes up out on the opposite side of the classroom out of nowhere. "You better not just come in here to slack off and sit around! Sayori told me you didn't even want to join any clubs this year! And the year before that! If you goof off you won't hear the end of it!"

Monika walks over from the desk to join the conversation. "Natsuki, that's a lot of talk for someone who keeps their manga collection in here."

"M-m-m!" Natsuki's retort gets stuck in her throat, seeming to be torn between saying 'Monika' and 'Manga'. "M-manga is literature, too!" She finally says while slumping into a desk chair, clearly defeated.

Monika chuckles at this and returns to her desk.

Sayori speaks up to me and Yuri, "Hey Christian! Yuri said she had something to give you!"

I turn my head to Yuri as she avoids eye contact, clearly flustered.

"E-eh, S-Sayori! What are you saying?" She says.

"It's okay! I'm sure he'll love it!" She says with a smile on her face while Yuri buries her face in her hair.

"N-no, its nothing. It's really nothing." Her face starts to burn up, I guess it's up to me to rescue the situation.

"Hey, do you have something for me?"

"N-no, it's okay." She stammers back. "S-she made it sound like a big deal when it wasn't."

"Well.." I carefully try to choose my words so I don't further make the girl feel embarrassed. "…I wasn't expecting anything in the first place. So anything you could've given me would be a pleasant surprise."

Yuri exhales sharply and turns to look at me. "Well, I overhead you talking yesterday about how you didn't know much about literature, so I picked up a book I thought you might enjoy."

"Really, Yuri? That's great!" I try to sound as enthusiastic as possible, even though I'm worried that it'll be some sort of demon ritual book.

Yuri softly smiles to herself and digs into her bookbag until she pulls out a novel and hands it to me.

"It's a short read so it should keep your attention. Then if you finish it, er-if you want.." She starts playing with her hair and blushes while looking anywhere but at me, "..we c-can even discuss it if y-you want.." Her shy voice trails off.

How is this girl accidentally being so cute?

I enthusiastically agree and thank her. She shyly smiles to herself and returns to her desk.

As I sit there I look around, waiting for Monika to kick off the meeting with some regularly scheduled events or something but apparently everyone has their own thing going on. Yuri has her face buried in a book. Her expression intense, like she's been waiting all day for this chance. Natsuki retreats into the closet in the back for some reason and Sayori trots over to Monika. I just sigh and look around. _What the hell am I going to do?_

As I stared off into space, I felt a pair of eyes on me. Natsuki was nowhere to be seen and Sayori and Monika were deep in discussion. I look over and see Yuri peering at me from over her book.

Her eyes widen and she quickly retreats again into the pages. I sigh and get up. From what I've learned from her, she won't be the one to approach or start a conversation on her own accord.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you.." She says all embarrassed.

"It's okay, Yuri. Besides I wasn't doing anything anyways." She sighs, content with my answer before an awkward silence falls between us.

"So uh…" I try to grasp for anything to talk about. I literally got up and came over here. I will be _damned _if I become the weird one. Shes already doing a good job of that on her own. "er..what book are you reading?"

She closed to cover and analyzed the cover of her book, "It's called Portrait of Markov" She turns it over and scans the back. "okay…I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to spoil any of it."

She turns to me and takes a breath to compose herself. "Basically its about two long lost sisters who meet up after escaping from a human experiment prison. Their lives starts to take a drastic turn when they are being hunted and have to learn who to trust."

"Er, isn't that kind of dark?" I half laugh after hearing that.

She giggles to herself. "Why's that, Christian? Not into that sort of thing?"

I forgot she said she likes horror stuff. Should've remember the purple haired, quiet, reserved girl to be the one with the most hyperactive mind.

"Eh I don't mind it," I start to say, "But I also have a crazy imagination and I'll probably end up getting myself haunted"

She shyly laughs at me, which is good to hear. Maybe I can break her out of her shell.

"Okay everyone!" I hear Monika say. "It's time to share poems! I got excited and couldn't wait any longer!" She makes eye contact with me and smiles. _Geez, why does her smiles have to make me feel warm._

Sayori bounds to her bag to grab her poem. Natsuki and Yuri half-heartedly grab their poems. I return to my own bag and grab mine.

I scan the room to see who to show first until Sayori leaps in front me, giddy and excited as hell.

"Hey Christian! You told me you'd show me first!" Before I even get a chance to give it to her, she yanks it from my hand. I stand there awkwardly as she scans over it with a smile on her face.

"I can't believe you actually wrote something! And it's good!" Sayori beams at me.

"Eh you're just saying that cause you have to." I respond back, trying to reclaim my poem.

"It's good! I don't really know what it's about but that's okay! Cause it's a special poem!"

"Sayori how is this a special poem?" I ask her.

"Well I can't tell if it's a happy or sad poem, all I know is it's special because it's a Christian poem!" She says this while hugging the paper to her chest.

I sigh and lightly tap on her head. "I don't know what you got going on in our noggin up here but it can't be much."

"Hey, meanie!" She says, slightly offended.

"Just let me read your poem already." I say,

She finally hands me her poem and I look over it.

_**Dear Sunshine**_

_The way you glow through my blinds in the morning_

_It makes me feel like you missed me_

_Kissing my forehead to help me out of bed_

_Making me rub the sleepy from my eyes_

_Are you asking me to come out and play?_

_Are you testing me to wish away a rainy day?_

_I look above, the sky is blue_

_It's a secret but I trust you too_

_If it wasn't for you I could sleep forever_

_I want breakfast_

I finish the poem and look at Sayori. "Eh, this is just a guess, but did you wait until morning to write this?"

She nervously laughs to herself, clearly embarrassed.

I chuckle at her and ruffle her hair while handing back the poem.

"Hey meanie, I'm not a dog you know!" She says.

"Hey now, I think we need to stop hoggin each others poem over here!" Monika jokingly says as she walks up behind me. We exchange poems and she looks over it.

I can tell on her face that she knows what I wrote about. She had a surprised look and wore a smile on her face.

"Christian, this is great! I was going 'oh-oh-ohhhh!' the whole time in my head!" She smiles sweetly and hands me back my poem.

"Eh, thanks Monika. I know it's not all that good but Sayori told me to just write about whatever I was feeling and I birthed that monstrosity."

Monika chuckles at that. "Well you could've fooled me. You were very metaphorical. You sure this is your first time writing?" She shot me an accusatory eyebrow with a smirk.

I shuffled where I was standing. '_I don't know if it's my first time! You should know this!' _

She just laughs and poked my side. "I'm just teasing. Keep up the good word, Christian! Are you ready to read my poem?"

Before I could respond, the sound of a chair scraping across the floor stole our gaze. Across the room, Natsuki and Yuri seemed to be exchanging poems. Only from the tones of their voice….something was about to go down.

"What do you mean _cute_?" Natsuki says in a defensive tone. "Did you completely miss the symbolism or something? It's clearly about the feeling of giving up!"

"Er…" Yuri clears her throat before answering but her tone clearly has a slight annoyance to it, like she was on the verge to escalating the situation. "I didn't mean..*sigh* I was just trying to say something nice."

"Oh you have to try that hard to say something nice, well I'm sorry but it really didn't come out nice at all." Natsuki says. "But if you want some pointers I'd be glad to-"

Yuri cuts her off. "Excuse me, but I've spent years establishing my writing style, and I only will turn to new ideas when I am inspired to do so, which I have _not _been yet."

Natsuki scowls at her as Yuri continues. "Besides, plenty of people would like my poem I'm sure, unlike your cutesy interpretation of literature."

Okay, I don't know why but the air became heavy and I feel my chest welling up with anxiety. I heard Monika mutter next to me, "No, no, not this. This isn't the _game_ any more they shouldn't be.." She falters as her mind races.

I don't know why but my instincts were telling me that this is _not_ supposed to be happening nor is it something that we want to happen.

"Oh really, I was unaware that you were gonna try so hard to impress our new member, Yuri!" Natsuki shot at her.

Yuri shot up in her chair, but instead of being shy and reserved like I've grown used to, she wore a look on her face that was…..malice.

Monika grabbed my shoulder. "Christian we need to do something and _fast_. This isn't the game any more, they aren't controlled by choices…we need to stop them and _now_!


	3. Memories and Premonitions

**A/N – **Halfway through this chapter was when I felt like I was branching away and able to shape the story and push it in a direction how I wanted it :)

"Oh really, I was unaware you were gonna try so hard to impress our new member, Yuri!" Natsuki sneered.

Yuri stood straight up and looked down on her, but not in the shy, reserved manner that I've come to understand. The look she wore on her face was what can only be described as…._malice._

"Christian, this isn't the game anymore!" Monika says while grabbing me. "We have to stop them and _now!"_

Monika pulls me around the edge of the classroom so we can remain out of the frame to get closer. Sayori steps up slightly to try to intervene.

"H-hey guys, I don't like fighting-," but she was ignored and cut off.

"Eh-why would you say that? Are you that full of yourself?" Yuri stammers out.

"You're the one who's been a fool of yourself! I've seen the way you stare at him in the club!" '_Oh no, ladies please there's enough of me to go around' _I half-heartedly joke to myself to try and calm down my hyperventilating brain.

"Oh yeah?" Yuri shoots back. "If I was that full of myself I would make everything I do overly cutesy!"

Natsuki sneers. "Yeah well I'm not the one who's _boobs _magically grew a size bigger the moment Christian started showing up!"

Monika steps in, " Eh, Natsuki that's a little-," But both girls turned to her for a second.

"This doesn't involve you!" They turn back to each other, clearly leaving the lighthearted arguing behind and having the moment be replaced with contempt and rage.

"I would never do anything so shameful! You think you can just counterbalance your toxic personality just by dressing and _acting_ cute? The only thing cute about you is how hard you try!"

Natsuki narrows her eyes. "What you do you know you stupid goth wanna-be edgy _bitch_?"

Yuri glares down at the pink-haired girl and continues. "Just because you're intimidated by my clear intelligence and superiority-" She was cut off by Natsuki but wasn't taking any of it. "Natsuki shut your _fucking_ mouth!"

Monika was holding onto my wrist so tightly I was probably going to lose blood flow to my hands but at this moment I didn't care, because honestly I was just as scared.

Natsuki was shaking in rage and Yuri was towering over her with a look I never thought she could give. Sayori cowered on the far side of the room and seemed to be crying. '_What the fuck can I do?_'

"Watch yourself Yuri or you might cut yourself on that edge, _wait¸ _you already do that don't you?" Natsuki yells.

"Did you just accuse me of cutting myself? What the _fuck_ is wrong with your head?" Yuri shoots back, taking a step closer to Natsuki.

"Don't play coy, _bitch! _I've seen you in the locker rooms! _You have a motherfucking barcode on your wrist!"_

Yuri has a dangerous look in her eyes that sends shivers down my spine. "You want to talk locker rooms? I've seen the xylophone you have-wait those are your _ribs_! Still taking daddy's punches instead of him letting you eat, huh?

Natsuki seemed dangerously close to snapping. Her eyes seems to glisten as she shook in place.

"You shut your fucking mouth, or I'll shut it for you," Natsuki fires back, her voice shaking.

Yuri sneers at her comment. "Oh, solving problems with violence. I guess that makes sense. Like father, like daughter."

In almost slow motion, Natsuki jumped at Yuri. I don't know if my adrenaline kicked in or what but next thing I knew I was in the middle of the dames to drag them apart. Monika went for Yuri as I grab Natsuki.

Monika seemed to have an easier job, as when Yuri was dragged away, she must've come to the realization of the situation and had a look on terror on her face like she just then heard all the things she just said. She sat down at a desk and covered her face in her hands.

Natsuki seemed to put up more of a fight than her small stature would've seem as she tried getting past me to Yuri, flailing her arms and trying shove me off her. "You dumb _bitch!" _She shouted as a final retort before I carried her to the opposite wall.

"That's enough, Natsuki." I tell her in a stern yet soothing tone. I place her at a far desk, to which she also lays her head in her hands. I take a raspy sigh and wipe the sweat from my brow. '_What the hell just happened?'_

The air was still heavy, but it had quieted down. The only sound you could hear was Yuri silently sobbing to herself. Monika was at her side patting her shoulder and whispering inaudible things to her, which I assumed to be her reassuring her things are okay.

I look over and saw Sayori slowly walking toward the center of the room, her eyes puffy like she just finished crying. She sniffled and took a deep breath.

"W-what is _wrong_ with you guys?" She starts. "You guys are _friends!_ There's no need to scream at each other!" Her voice was full of sadness and disbelief. She took another deep breath as if to collect herself. The look she shot the girls was one I _never _wish to receive from the cinnamon bun.

"Yuri.." She starts while turning to face the lavender lass. "..you're writing is beautiful! You use such big and expressive words that only you understand and it makes your poems that much more unique! And your boobs are just as big and beautiful as you are!"

Even though the situation is dire at the moment, I have to fight from chuckling. She has such a way with words.

She then turns Natsuki. "And Natsuki, you use simple words to convey your emotions perfectly! There's nothing wrong with having cute poems because you're just as cute as you are strong!"

I walk up next to Sayori and pat her on the shoulder. She stumbles into me for a light hug and I reciprocate. I look once more at the two girls before audibly sighing.

"s-s-s-sorry, Natsuki.." Yuri says, barely audible. "I didn't mean any of the things I said! I really didn't! I just felt threatened and.." She falters. Monika pats her on the shoulder to soothe her.

The air was quiet once more until we hear Natsuki clear her throat. "I-I'm sorry too." She gets out quickly. "..even if you started it."

I felt like that was the best we were going to get out of these two girls when Sayori lets out a little giggle and hops.

"See, we're all friends!" She says while clapping her hands.

Yuri stands up abruptly. "I-I'm er-I'm gonna go make some tea." She says quietly and hurries to the back of the room. Sayori notices her crying and goes back to reassure her.

I want to so badly go back there and help soothe her but I feel like I would be nothing more than a nuisance. Sayori, as air-headed as she may be, seems to have a secret power of being one of the best level headed girls in the club.

Monika slides up next to me and nervously chuckles.

"We make a good team, you and me, yeah?" She looked at me nervously, like she didn't know what to say. I just sigh and chuckle while turning to her and putting her in a half hug.

"Yeah I guess so.." I falter while I recall what just conspired in the room. "Is that normal behavior? Or a normal occurrence, rather? I never expected any of them to act like that, well.." I half chuckle, "Natsuki I guess I could. She seems like the kind of person to go off if she feels cornered."

I turn my head to glance at Natsuki. She's just sitting at a desk all alone, staring off into nothing.

"I'm gonna go check on her and make sure she's okay." I tell Monika. She just silently nods and pats my back. She gives a faint smile before leaving and sitting once again at the teacher's desk.

"You okay?" I cautiously say as I approach the pink tsundere. I kneel down next to her desk and cradle my head on my hand on its surface.

"Y-yes, duh. Why do you care? Shouldn't you go care about Yuri? She's the one crying over there." I glance over in Yuri's direction before turning back to Natsuki.

"Not everyone shows sadness by crying, you know that." I tell her. "I bet you're just as torn up as she is."

She's quiet for a second before responding. "….s-so! So what if I am?"

I just lightly roll my eyes and softly punch her arm. "It doesn't matter if you are, doesn't make you any less of a pro."

She tries to hide her small smile and exhales. Maybe I do have a little magic when it comes to fixing situations. I spend the rest of my time next to her trying my best to keep her mind off of the whole ordeal by talking about _literally _anything else.

One of her favorite topics apparently is if I'm dating either Monika or Sayori, from which I kindly told her I wasn't. It probably didn't help that I cracked some jokes about how I wouldn't blame them if they wanted me. But hey, my best quality is speaking without thinking and trying to make any situation light.

She was also very fond of anime and manga which, because of my amnesia, knew very little about. I just let her speak her mind because it was clear she rarely gets the chance to express her opinions about something she loves. It was a nice feeling, being able to give that to someone.

Before long, Monika spoke up with her signature line, "Hey, everyone!" She centers herself in the front of the room to get our attention. "I think that about does it today for our club meeting! Remember to make sure to write a poem tonight for tomorrow!"

I take a look around before addressing the elephant in the room. "eh, Monika…do you honestly think everyone is ready for that? I mean, not to make the ending sour but we can't just ignore the event that happened today." I looked at Natsuki and Yuri before continuing. "clearly some lines were crossed. These two were already reluctant in the first place to share, maybe we should find another way to get to know each other before we continue this."

Monika scans the room before continuing. "Sure, I agree that things got a little carried away but I'm certain we can put past this and grow as a club!" She flashes a smile and takes a victorious pose.

I look around the room again. I may have no memory or know nothing of all these girls, but I don't want to see this club turn from a sanctuary to a place of contempt. All these girls seem to use this place as an escape and some part of me wants to try everything I can to keep it a safe haven.

I furrow my brow and sigh. "I understand your positivity Monika and I think its wishful thinking, I just feel th-," My thought was interrupted by the sound of a chair scraping on the ground. It was Yuri standing up. She glanced down at Sayori who was at her side before sighing and looking at Monika.

"I-I think that…I would like to c-continue the poems…" She falters before Sayori pats her shoulder, giving her confidence again. "I think that it was a learning experience, and things were said that were not meant. I think it is still a good bonding experience for everyone in the club." She takes a deep breath and sighs like it took a lot of energy to speak up like that.

I couldn't help but admire her. She's a very timid personality and I'm sure it took a lot of courage for her to stand up and say something like that, even if it's among friends. I look back to Monika who has a sigh of relief.

"Well, there we have it! I'm excited to see everyone's efforts tomorrow!" And with that, the meeting was adjourned.

While everyone packed up their bags, Sayori calls to me.

"Christian! Ready to walk home?"

I finish zipping up my bag and throw over my shoulder, all _'David Hassellhoff' _like (which is to say _cool as hell)_. "I sure am." I respond, taking one last look around the room to make sure everyone is all good before I depart.

I lock eyes with Monika who was staring in my direction. She smiles at me and waves, so I return the gesture. She blushes slightly and looks like the wants to say something but keeps it to herself.

As I open the door to exit, I hear Yuri call to me from in the room.

"H-hey, Christian.."

I turn to look at her as she timidly approaches me.

"About today…" She takes a deep breath.

"It's okay, Yuri. Take your time. There's no problem in thinking before you speak," I reassure her.

She faintly smiles and closes her eyes to once again take a breath. She opens her eyes and continues.

"I don't want you to think that because of the..._incident_….earlier, that's how we are. Or that's how _I _am, rather.." She falters as she looks everywhere but at me, clearly flustered and embarrassed. "I just…I like having you in the club. It's a wonderful experience having someone new to express views with and you're understanding and respectful and.." She trails off and I can see her face burning up. "…please keep coming to the club. I promise nothing like that will happen again."

I flash her a smile. "Yuri, nothing can happen to deter me from coming to this club. You guys are my friends and I love it here. So don't sweat your pretty head over it, okay?"

She locks eyes with me like she's…._searching _for something before bashfully smiling and nodding her head.

I turn towards the door. "Sayori waiting on me to walk home so I'm going to head out but I'll talk to you tomorrow!"

She timidly waves goodbye and watches me depart the clubroom. I jog to catch up to Sayori who was spinning in circles at the stairwell, waiting for me. She see's me approach and hops.

"What kept you up in there, meanie?" She fake pouts at me.

I poke her nose and we start to descend and walk out the building.

"It was nothing, Yuri was afraid that I was going to leave the club or something after today." I tell her.

Sayori giggles. "That Yuri, she really does worry too much. I always wanted to know what floats around in that super smarty brain of hers."

I chuckle at that as we continue our walk. The rest of way consisted on Sayori talking about various things, like school, some games she started playing, and even about some stuffed cow she has that she _oh so_ cleverly calls, "Mr. Cow."

We arrive at our homes and part ways. I unlock my door and enter my own home, drop my bag by the wall and plop down on my couch. I do a big stretch and knock my shoes off my feet. I get relaxed and flip on the television to unwind for a bit.

"Oh _come on!" _I yell at the screen as I get nova-warped from a warlock for the second time in a row. The screen flashes my loss of the match and I put my controller down, groaning in annoyance.

I glance at the clock and see that it's a little before 7. I hear my stomach rumble and feel I should get off my ass and make something to eat. I may have lost my memory but I'm not trying to lose my life either because I let a little Xbox control if I eat.

I enter the kitchen and realize I've never actually taken the time to see what I have. I glace round in the assortment of drawers and pantries I have, seeing everything from food/ingredients and all sorts of kitchen equipment. I dig into a drawer and find a cookbook on it and decide to go off of that.

I flip through the pages until I get to a page that says "Mama's Best Lasagna". I don't know why but I felt an attachment to that and decided to go with it. I do my best to hunt down all the ingredients listed and all the tools need to get to work.

As I started pre-heating a setting everything up, it occurred to me that I'm not sure if I ever even knew how to cook. Part of me felt weary, like I never did this before. '_Well, here goes me burning down the house_,' I joke to myself.

As I started cooking, I realized something was missing. I close my eyes and think to myself for a moment. '_If I was back in my world, would I know what was missing?'._ Like clockwork, a thought enters my brain.

I pull out my phone and switch to a music app. I run to my room to search for…_something._ I don't know what it was but I could feel it in my soul like a game of 'hot and cold'. I stumbled in a desk drawer and found my prize.

I take the speaker found in the drawer downstairs and see it's paired on my phone. I look at recent artists and go from there. I see a band called 'Dragonforce' and assume that I must've spent time listening to them in my other life. I hit shuffle and the music began.

As the music kicked in, I was hit with a strange wave of sadness and nostalgia. Almost like I knew exactly who this was and what song this was, how the beats picked up and slowed down, which notes on the instruments were being played. It was very overwhelming but didn't hinder my experience.

Before I knew it, my delicious dish was finished and ready to be consumed. I turned the music down on a low volume and sat at my kitchen table. The whole cooking experience was a blur. I went on autopilot as the music flowed through me. I stared at what I created and took a deep breath. I pick up my utensils and dig in.

At first bite, I had once again the strange onslaught of emotions. None extremely negative, by any means, but clearly on a wide spectrum of emotions. I felt…comfort. I closed my eyes as I felt the warmth of the bite and concentrated on the emotions. I could sense….a scene.

I concentrated on the image that seemed to play in my head. It wasn't like a dream, where you could see. It was just…sense. I could feel a smile. I could feel love. I felt _family. _It was warm and swept through my whole body. I couldn't grasp onto everything at once. I knew that it was a special occasion. A birthday, maybe? A long weekend from a holiday? I could feel laughter. I could feel…music. '_maybe that's why I was so attached to the sound of melody'._

As I finished the bite, the scene became obscured and faded. I opened my eyes and sighed. _Maybe there is a way to get memories back_? I would definitely need help though, because I doubt eating this lasagna over and over again would do the trick.

I finish my dinner and wash the used dishes. I gaze out a window hanging over the sink and see the sun slowly setting. The amber glaze of the sun bounced off of the homes and streets and painted a beautiful picture of the neighborhood. I look at the clock and decided I had enough time to clear my head and go for a walk.

I grab a jacket on my way out the door and walk to the sidewalk by the street. The air was becoming brisk as the sun set more and more. I put my hands in the pockets and went for a stroll. I had no goal for a destination or for how long, I just felt the urge to walk.

As I fazed in and out of daydreams, I felt my left hand grasp something thin. I pulled out the stringy object to see that it was a pair of headphones. I attach them to my phone and play some music as I walk.

The mixture of music and the cool air filled my body. It seemed that I found comfort in the world of melodies. I found myself getting lost in the different tunes that entered my head. I could almost sense another scene.

Happiness. Sadness. Melancholy. Excitement. Anger. Depression. Love. All these emotions and thoughts entered my mind as the musical tracks cycled. I could sense a time for _all _of these, but I couldn't see or remember any of the times attached to the feeling. I just knew…I spent a lot of time healing or making memories with music.

Before I knew it, the night has just about taken over. It was the final moments of dusk, the environment basked in a darker purple and blue, the street lamps illuminating my path. I noticed a park nearby and entered it.

I found a swing set and plopped down on the first seat I got to. I gently rocked as I felt a cool breeze blowing. There was something so soothing about losing yourself in your head. I realized that this was my happy place. Being able to get faze out of reality and completely search for yourself in a world only you can enter. A place where my mind was free to linger on anything it wanted, free to move on or fight, free from oppression of the outside world.

I must've spent an hour at this park, just absorbing in the beauty of the town at night. The moonlight seeped through the trees and painted a beautiful scene. The mixture of the music and the scenery made my mind wander. A song from a 'Def Leppard' played and I felt a wave of….lonely. I gaze at the scene in front of me and sigh. '_This is almost something I would love to have a lover here to experience with me,' _I thought to myself.

My first thought was Monika, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe because it's the way she was so desperate for my love? So determined that I was hers? I knew nothing of her or how we would have became an item but I couldn't help but like the feeling of being needed. It felt….warm and wholesome.

Even with those positive feelings, I couldn't bring myself to just go to her and play along. She seemed too sweet an entity for me to "learn as I go", although that might be exactly what she wants.

I imagine how sweetly she smiles to me at the club and my heart slightly skips to itself. '_She really is beautiful,' _I think to myself. Her emerald eyes, the way they are compassionate and breath-taking. I could honestly get lost in them. She was just under my height, which to me was still unknown but I would say I was an average height for a dude, maybe five foot nine? She held herself up high, like she had pride to uphold and thought highly of herself, almost _regal_ in a way. She had good structure and was very…maturely developed.

I pause the music. "_Have I been just sitting here and daydreaming about Monika? What the hell is wrong with me..' _I silent scold myself. If she ever found this out, I'd never hear the end of it. I shake the thoughts out of my mind and decide its time for me to return to my home.

I walk into my door and glance at the clock. '**12:37**'. '_Damn I was out there for a while!' _ I sigh and make my way upstairs. I haven't even written my poem yet!

I walk into my room, toss my phone onto my bed which naturally bounces off the mattress, hits the wall and slides down the wall (_nice going dork)_ and I sit at my desk. I put out the notebook that I used for my poems and open to a fresh page. I grasp a nearby pen and write…nothing.

Once again I have writer's block. '_Or poem block?_' I chuckle at my own joke and realize how lame I am. I spend the better of ten minutes writing useless lines and getting nowhere. Frustrated, I toss my pen down and move over to my desktop computer.

Now I know, '_Procrastinating isn't good for you, young man! You need to get work done and play later'. _Guess what? I need inspiration and there's nothing wrong with that! And yes I'm talking to you, _Mom!_

I click onto the web browser and search around the web for amusement. I stumble onto a social networking website. Somehow, I'm already signed in. I look at my own profile and see my profile picture is a selfie in my full body mirror with some decently-nice clothes, giving my best smug look.

I go through my profile to see if I can find anything that might spark more memories. Well, these aren't memories but more like….familiar senses. To my disdain, nothing triggered such an event.

I scroll through my friends list and see I have a wide array of 'friends'. People I have never seen before, sure, but I still had them. The only person I recognized was Sayori. I see an icon blinking and I click on it.

It seemed to be a 'friend request'. I look at who it was from and recognized Monika. I click "Add friend' and see I also have one from Natsuki and Yuri. I add them both and go back to scrolling through the main page, which consisted of memes, pictures and random videos from these people.

After a few minutes, I hear a _ding_ on my desktop and see I apparently had a new message. I open the messages tab and see it was from Monika.

I open the conversation and read her message.

**M: Hey, dork! What are you doing up?"**

I look at the clock and see its almost 1 A.M.

**C: You know, being a good noodle and writing my poem. But I could ask you the same thing!**

**M: You know you realllyy shouldn't procrastinate like that, you'll create a habit and starting forgetting! And I was just up thinking..**

I read her message and sigh…Is this my cue to ask what's on her mind and see if she needs to talk? Being the amazing person I am, continue the conversation.

**C: Oh shush, my brain works in weird ways. My best works in my life are when I don't think. And what is plucking at your el mind-o?**

**M: Well….nothing in particular really, just thinking about everything that's happened in the past few days…I guess namely **_**you**_** and stuff..**

Me? Why was she thinking of me-Oh that's right, she's super in love with me.

**C: Well, what about me? Is it my amazing charm and overwhelming personality?**

** M: Hahaha shut UP, mister, can you inflate your ego any more? ;P No, just thinking about our encounter last night and stuff….what I can do to make you fall for me again **

I read her message and my heart skips. '_Shit, what is this girl planning? If I have a mommy I need her to still think I'm innocent! I only smooch the face I swear!' _I inhale and respond.

**C: Oh no, what are you planning exactly? I need to be mentally prepared this time!**

** M: Oh it's a secret ;P you'll find out when it happens**

** C: Well understand that I still need to learn you and you know, life and I'm still dealing with this whole memory loss thing soooo..**

I hope I don't break her little heart, but luckily she seems hell bent on getting my eternal love.

**M: That won't stop me! Of course I'll be patient but you…you're just my love! **

** C: Well ok there you emerald-eyed princess, just make sure you don't neglect yourself or other people you doof!**

I hate myself for admitting this but I think I like the feeling of her chasing me. _Jesus I'm an idiot. _

**M: You're already looking out for me, it makes me fall in love more! Hehehe you should go write your letter and get some sleep so you don't sleep in again! I'll see you tomorrow dear 3**

I say a goodnight message and close out of the website and put my computer in sleep mode. '_This girl is going to drive me crazy'_ I think to myself. I position myself back at my desk to continue (Or start?) my poem. I sit there with pen in hand, idle and waiting for something to come to my head.

I remember Sayori's advice about just writing about what I'm feeling, with the brain fairies and such and decide to let my pen do the talking.

_Stuck_

_I stare off into the nothing, walking down a lonely road_

_The sound of melodies distract me from the nagging of doubt_

_Moonlight lights up the pavement that stretches beyond my eyesight_

_I close my eyes and imagine what was lost_

_I feel it, edging deep in the dark parts of my mind_

_I don't know how to coax it. More melodies?_

_I fall to my knees and ponder the reality that I am not what I seem_

_The last breath I take will be one of code_

_Without a doubt, without a will, I'm stuck without a way out_

_Stuck without my previous form_

_I hear a calling and open my eyes_

_Its another dawn in another reality_

I look my poem over. '_Man I think I might be talking to Yuri too much'. _I decide it's good enough for me and the club. I fold it up and place it near my nightstand so I remember to take it when I leave. I lay down and decide that I should try to sleep so I don't have Sayori break into my house again.

**"She will live for you. She will strive for you. She will DIE for you."**

Her lavender eyes were extremely dilated. Her smile stretches far too wide for it to be natural. Her chest rising and falling to her breathing is a little…eccentric. She held her hands together over her heart, standing no more than 5 feet away from me. Her eyes bore into me and darted all over my body like she couldn't get _enough_ of what she was looking at.

I felt uncomfortable. I was scared. _Was I trembling? _I look down at my hands and confirmed that I was indeed shaking. The way this girl looked at my made me want to run and hide.

"I'm so glad they finally got the hint, Christian! Now we can be here, together! Alone! Like we've always wanted!"

I realized I was in the clubroom. I felt for the desk behind me to hold myself up. I tried to keep my composure and posture. It was late evening and the setting sun reflected off of her wide eyes.

"You know what, I have an idea! Why don't you come to my house this weekend? Why don't we go there _now_? After this? We can stay there _all _weekend, and just be the two of us! Wouldn't that be great, Christian?"

**"How bold are you? How much will you take? Can you heal her infected mind? **

I hear the raspy voice in my mind once again. It coaxes me again but this time, it's different.

I stare back at Yuri, who had once again begun talking.

"Christian, I can't hold it back anymore. I don't care _who_ knows it. I _want _them to know! They need to know of our love! Of our perfect harmony!"

This girl was _seriously _starting to freak me out. Why was she doing this? This isn't the timid girl I've come to know.

"Christian, I love you! I love you so much that I even _touch_ _myself_ with the pen that I stole from you! I give myself paper cuts with the poems I keep from you so your skin oil drips into my bloodstream! Isn't that wonderful, Christian?"

I stare back at her, horrified. I quickly hide my emotions, scared that any false move would tilt her emotions. She seemed very clearly broken and on edge.

**"You don't understand, do you? It is inevitable. Your mind is a slave. You can't prevent this. You can't prevent **_**her**_**."**

I close my eyes shut to block out the cold, deep laughter of the voice. My nerves are on edge and my hairs are standing up. I only just now realized I can't move. I am immobilized in front of Yuri. I am her puppet, sworn to be enveloped in her everlasting love.

"Christian, isn't it so wonderful for someone to dedicate their whole life to you? To love you forever and ever?"

She smiles wildly at me and tilts her head.

My mind screams in primal fear.

"Christian, I want _all _of you. Let's go to my room _right now_. I want you _inside _me. I need your seed, Christian! I want to feel you as close as I can. Christian, how amazing would that be? Don't you want to feel my body yearning for your love?"

_'Yuri, please!' _I think to myself. My mouth won't work. It's like my vocal chords don't exist. She lets out a loud, crazed laugh.

"Christian, I can't wait anymore! Every drop of blood inside me yearns for you! I just want to cut you open and crawl inside you! Isn't that wonderful, Christian? Please tell me Christian, tell you love me. Do you accept my confession?"

I stare at her as she lets silence sink in. She just looks at me expectantly, awaiting an answer. Her wide grin has not faded once. My mind raced. I didn't know what to say! I tried so desperately to look for anything around me to help, for a way out, for _something!_

She giggles creepily. "Please stop teasing! I can't wait any longer! I need to taste you! Do you love me Christian?"

My mind only echoed one word. No. No….no….._no…_

_ "NO!" _I shout, finally able to get a word out. I take a breath and let it sink in for a moment.

She stares back at me, eyes wide, grin never fading. Then, she laughed. A hearty laugh. A _crazed, menacing _laugh. Her head flings back as it echoes throughout the silence of the clubroom. I stare at her in desperation and fear.

She brings her head forward again and stares at me. In one swift move, she pulls out a knife.

My blood runs cold in my veins. '_I can't move, I can't move!' _I say in my head over and over again as I stare at Yuri.

I watch in horror as she turns the blade towards herself and drives it straight in her abdomen. She starts crazed laughing once more and pulls the blade out, driving it once more her stomach. She pulls the blade out one final time and stabs herself right into the heart, her blood spraying out and splashing all over my clothes and skin.

She keeps her grin and tumbles to the floor, the knife removed and clanking off to the side.

Out of nowhere, I regain the ability to move. I slide to Yuri's bleeding and dying body as I start to sob.

"Yuri, no! Yuri!" I put my hands on her stomach wound to stop the blood leaking out but it's too much. I realize that my efforts are for nothing and pull my hands away, seeing her copper ichor stain my skin. I fall back to sit on my legs and knees as tears effortless fall from my face as I look at my friends lifeless body.

"Yuri, what could I have done? How could I have helped you?" I cry out to her pathetically, shaking uncontrollably.

**"There is no other fate. You can not bend time. You will NOT accomplish yourself as a savior!"**

The voice echoes in my head a final time until it fades to nothing.

I look at Yuri and I an immobilized again. My eyes dart around in fear until her head jerks up to stare at me, blood leaking from her tears ducts. Her eyes were lifeless and she moved her mouth in a wide grin again.

"Christian why don't you love me? What did I do? I will have you. You are mine…mine…..**MINE**!"

Her body lunges at me, knife in hand.

I sit straight up in my bed, sweat plastering my hair against my head. My hands and body are shaking uncontrollably. My face is sticky and stained with tears. I realized I was just in a nightmare. As it enters my head again, I get a wave of fear and depression. I feel the tears flow and I cant stop it.

I sit there and sob into my hands. It's not the nice, prideful cry that people like Monika do, where their eyes gloss up and they have single tears flow down while keeping their composure. I'm talking about _ugly sobbing_. Where you take big breaths and you sniffle like crazy.

I had all these emotions built up, from memory loss, to Monika confessing love for me that I didn't have, to these nightmares of the club girls I kept getting. It all came out, hitting me like a _fucking _freight train.

I sob for the better of five minutes, until I'm able to control my breathing. I sit and rock lightly in the fetal position, feeling pathetic and mentally drained. I scold myself for being so weak.

After what feels like ages, I sit there in silence. I feel tears stained on my face but im no longer crying. I look at my phone and see that it's five forty-five am. '_I guess it's time for me to get up anyways_.'

I get up and go to my bathroom. I start to splash water on myself and stare in the mirror. _It had seemed so damn real! _I couldn't shake it out of my head. First Sayori and now Yuri? What the hell is going on?

I decide it's best to try my best to keep my mind off of it. I heat up the water of a shower and attempt to start my morning as normal as possible.


	4. Stormy Skies in the Mind

Chapter 4 – Stormy Skies in the Mind

I walk downstairs, fully dressed in my school uniform. I look up at a clock I have hanging on my wall and it reads, '**6:15**'.

"Great," I mutter to myself. "Still got a good hour or so to kill before I need to head out." I sigh and head into the kitchen to fix me something for breakfast, even though I was _far_ from hungry. I decided on a bagel I found that I put some peanut butter on and retreated to my living room to take a seat.

I flip on the television and see that I still have it set to my Xbox. I look up to the clock and back at my screen. I lean forward and pick up my controller and think to myself, '_A few games wouldn't hurt_.'

I decided to play the same game I played yesterday. It was some space game where I was a "Guardian" or something. It was pretty fun and I feel like it was something that I spent a lot of time doing before I lost my memory and was placed in this kawaii-hell.

I finish a 'Strike' and look at my phone. '**6:43**''

"Fuck!" I say out loud. School's going to start in forty minutes and it takes half that to walk there. I power off my electronics and grab my bag.

'_That's weird, I figured I would've heard from Sayori by now..'_ I think to myself as I depart my house.

I walk out to the street and was immediately shocked by what I saw. It _snows _here? The streets and sidewalks were glistening with a white powder, with snowflakes falling ever so gently from the cloudy, grey sky. I put my hands in my pockets to preserve my skin from cracking off. I look around me and see no signs of the cinnamon bun, or any other people for that matter. Just me standing alone on a snow-covered street.

'_Oooookay, this is starting to stress me out..'_ I think to myself.

I turn to approach her house which is right next to mine and walk to her doorway through her front yard. A feeling of dread fills my body as I look at the still house. The dream I had of her the day prior pops into my head. I stand in fear for a split second.

"No, she wouldn't do something like that. She was fine yesterday!...Right?" I quickly approach her door and start knocking. A few moments pass and no answer. '_Oooookay, I'm starting to freak out.' _

I feel anxiety start to rush through my limbs and I knock again, this time louder. Still no response. "Sayori!" I yell as I pound on her door again, this time probably looking like I criminal.

I start fumbling around with my keys, my mind blanking. '_Fuck, fuck, fuck which key is it?'_ I start using trial and error with my key ring until I hear a scraping sound above me. I jerk my head up and see Sayori's head poking out her bedroom window.

"H-hey, Christian! Sorry I think I overslept! I'll be out in a second!" She closed the window and disappears.

I stand with my back against her door for a second to regain my composure and catch my breath. '_Jesus fuck,' _I think to myself. '_Why did that scare the shit out of me? She just accidentally overslept…I did the same thing yesterday. Nothing to worry about..' _

I step away from her door stumble over to take a seat on one of her front steps. I put my head in my hands and control my breathing. My eyes fall onto the snowflakes that are ever so gently raining from the sky until I hear some commotion from right behind to door. Sayori swings the door open and bounds outside, her physique all messed up.

Her red bowtie on her collar is loosely tied together, her brown-scale vest is wrinkly, the bow on her head is close to falling off. She blushes and looks sheepishly to the side as I eye her down.

"Hehe, er..sorry, Christian! I just didn't hear my alarm is all!" She throws a forced smile on her face as she says this, but her voice isn't convincing me otherwise.

"Well it's a good thing I woke you up then!" I say this while straightening out her blazer and tightening up her bow. "What would you do if I wasn't here to clean you up?"

She giggles to herself. "Well I don't know what'd I do! But I like it when you help straighten me out so I guess I'm gonna keep it up! Hehehe.."

I roll my eyes and sigh. "Well come on now cinnamon bun, we gotta get to school." I usher her my direction and start to walk.

The walk to the school was different today than it has been. Sayori has been significantly less talkative than usual. I was the one initiating all the conversations, which made it kind of difficult because I wasn't used to having pitch in so much. I don't know why but it was really putting me on edge. I tried to shake it off and act like it was nothing, but I just couldn't.

"Hey, Sayori," I start to say. She looks up at me like I snapped her out of a daze. "Uh…are you doing okay today?"

I saw her eyes widen for a fraction of a second and she returns with a smile. "Of course Christian! I just had a weird dream was all! There's no need to worry about me!" She tries to make a show of hopping in place like normal.

"Are you suuuuure?" I say while poking her head. "I'm kind of contractually obligated by the Friendship Committee to look after you, so I just want to make sure everything is good in Sayori town."

She giggles and skips ahead a few paces, brandishing a smile. "Of course I am Christian. Stop worrying about me! You have other things to worry about that deserve more of your energy. Now lets go!" She says this and bounds off without turning back.

"Right…." I mutter to myself and follow her.

We get to the school with some time to spare. Sayori says her goodbyes for the time being and departs to her first class. I watch her walk away and sigh. Something about how this morning played out really bothers me.

I must've been pretty phased out because I didn't even notice when Yuri walked up to me and tapped my shoulder.

"Ah, er-good morning, Yuri." I say to her while I try to cover up the fact that she startled me. It also didn't help that I'm not used to seeing her outside the clubroom. She carries around a traditional bookbag instead of a shoulder backpack and she had a purple scarf on today that really compliments her overall appearance. She had a warm smile on her and a soft blush, most likely from the weather outside.

"Good morning, Christian. How are you doing this morning?" She says to me. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other, almost like she was anxious….or excited.

"Eh, I've had better mornings." I tell her. Her facial expression shifts to a worried one and I almost wish I lied instead.

"Oh no, why is that? Are you okay?" She eyes me all over like to see if I have any physical wounds.

I put my hands up and chuckle lightly. "Yes, yes I'm fine Yuri but thank you for asking."

She blushes and smiles at me. She seems much more…..open today. She takes a breath and looks around. Her eyes scan the halls and passing students like she's thinking. She turns her attention back to me with a smile.

"Well, class should be starting soon. Would you like some company while you go to your first class?".

I shrug my shoulders to agree and we walk together to the same side of the school. It never occurred to me that she was in the same grade as me. She might even be in some classes, I just never pay attention to it.

We didn't really talk much, but she did seem excited to discuss books that she recently got into. She really does find her happy place in books. Her demeanor changes completely and she loses her stutter and seems less anxious. I try my best to smile and nod but honestly all the information goes in one ear and out the other. It wasn't a complete loss though, I rather enjoyed having the shy girl feel comfortable enough to actually hold a conversation.

Before long, we arrive at her class and she turns to me before entering. "I enjoyed our walk, Christian." She giggles to herself.

I try not to look at her like she's weird but um, _all we did was walk_. I then remind myself that I know she's kind of socially awkward so maybe she doesn't walk with people all that often. I return the smile and say "Anytime, Yuri! I guess I'll see you later at the club?"

She smiles and says. "Yes, I suppose so. I look forward to it."

I wave and turn around to walk. I can't help but feel her eyes on me as I walk down the hall to my class.

'_What a weird ass girl.' _I think to myself as I start my school day.

…..….

The final bell rings and I gather my belongings. I wasn't particularly in any kind of rush so I took my time, making me the last one to leave. As I stood up, I heard a voice call my name.

"Christian..?"

I look up and saw Monika's golden smile appear.

She leans herself on the doorway. "Hey you." She has some papers in her hand which I presume are for the club.

"Hey, Monika. What're you doing here?" I ask her while walking to meet up with her.

She smiles at me and shuffles her papers in her hands. "Well, I knew this was your class and I didn't see you come out so I figured I'd poke my head in is all."

"Ah, I see. Stalking me. Honestly that's a new one. Well as far as I can remember, which is like two days." I tease her while we exit the room.

"Hey now! I was not stalking! I just wanted to have company while I walked is all." She made a show to stick head up high like she was a princess before laughing at herself. I must say, she could really pass for a princess of some sort.

"Mmhmm, say what you want but it sounds like I'm going to have to carry 'Monika Repellent' everywhere I go now." I joke to her while acting like I'm spraying her down. She laughs her cute ass laugh and looks at me.

"We both know that It's going to take more than _that _to keep me away." She tells me matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah?" I ponder to her. "And what would that be?"

She flashes me fake pout face. "Why? Do you want me away that badly?"

I roll my eyes and smile. "I mean _no_, obviously not. Just curious."

We go up the flight of stairs to the third floor before she responds.

"Well, I think that I honestly don't know what it would take, but I feel it doesn't matter because I don't see it happening."

"I see, I see." I tell her. I'm curious about what exactly that could be but I just keep it to myself. "Well truth be told, I don't know much about the situation but it _does _feel nice to be like….cared for in a way I guess."

"_Oh really?" _She says with a smirk. '_Oh shit, what am I saying?' _"Are you developing a crush for me, Christian?"

I blush and look everywhere but her. "W-what? I didn't even _say_ anything close to that! I just meant that, I don't know, it's nice to feel needed sometimes. Geez, don't make it weird…"

She busts out a laugh and jabs me with her elbow. " I love seeing you get worked up. You get defensive and its cute."

I just sigh and choose not to answer. I've given her too much ammunition to use against me.

"Besides, I don't have any parents and live alone…if you like the feeling of being cared for, I'd love to keep you more company."

For most instances, I'd feel like she was just flirting and being extra, but I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was being genuine. She looked at me with that caring expression again that sent warmth down my spine. I wish her smile wasn't so damn _infectious!_ She really did just want to take care of me.

I coughed and tried not to look like she was getting to me. "Eh, maybe in a while when um…" I faltered because I didn't really know what to say to that. '_Why did my brain have to shut off when I need it most'_

She laughs as we get to the classroom door. "My favorite part about messing with you about this stuff is….you never say no. I can see it in your eyes when you get flustered and feel embarrassed. That's why I have hope."

I hated that she was right. _Why did she have to be right? _

She opens up the classroom door and we both enter to start our meeting. The rest of the cast was already present. Natsuki was in her favorite spot aka the closet. Yuri was already nose deep in a novel and Sayori was…sitting alone at a desk.

I toss my bag down next to the nearest desk and gingerly approach the airhead.

"Hey, you. Whatchu up to? You know this is the _Literature club, _not the space out club.." I joke to her. She lightly giggles and looks at me.

"I know, I know, I was just thinking is all! It's all okay!" She tells me. I eye her suspiciously and she averts her gaze from me.

"You know Sayori.." I start while adjusting the bow on her head. "..if like, something is bothering you, you can like….tell me things. You know that, right?"

She looks at me and holds her gaze on my eyes. Her sky-blue eyes stare like she was trying to read my thoughts.

"I don't mind like chilling and talking. You can like come over and I can cook you food, or we can go out and do stuff.." I start to try to think about what we _could _do. '_I don't really know what is in this city_,' I think to myself before she speaks up.

"Christian, it's really nothing I swear! Just a little cloudy today, hehehe!" She throws on a big smile and bounces in her seat.

"If you say so, little lady." I put my arm around her in a half hug and squeeze. She lightly lays her head on my shoulder.

"You know, Christian…" She says while puts her hand on my arm. "I'm really glad you joined the club. It's been fun seeing you so much lately."

I pat her coral hair and chuckles. "Well, you only have yourself to thank for that. You pretty much chained me up and dragged me here." I laugh and squeeze her a tad tighter.

"Hey now, meanie." She giggles.

I rub her shoulder before releasing my hug. "I'm serious though, talk to me if you need. It's not a bother in the slightest and if you even _think _that you are in fact a bother, I'm going to turn the tables around and bother the shit out of you until you hate me."

She laughs and looks at me. "Thank you, Christian. You really do worry too much though.."

I poke her head while I stand up. "Shush, what kind of best friend would I be if I just sat idle by and watched you get sad or have tough times without saying anything? Hm? Hm? _Hm?_"

I poke her gently with each 'Hm'. She laughs and moves slightly farther to dodge my pokes. "Okay, okay I see your point meanie. Hehehe~"

"I'll be around the club if you need me or want to attack me." I smirk at her before walking off. Figured I interrogated her enough and she can have her alone time if she wants.

I gaze around and see everyone still doing their own activities. I sigh and plop my ass down in my own desk. '_Well this is the Literature Club, might as well read I guess…'_

I opened the book Yuri gave me and started to read the first few pages. It definitely seemed like a plot heavy novel from the summary but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I lay my head on my hand and start the book.

I read for like 5 minutes until my concentration is broken by someone clear their throat by me. I look up and see Yuri in front of me, holding a book.

"Oh, hey Yuri." I say to her. She offers a smile and sits down at the desk beside me.

"Hey, Christian. I couldn't help but notice you reading and it made me happy, heehee~." She giggles shyly at me.

'_What is up with this girl? One day she's shy as hell and the next she actually approaches me to talk.' _

"Yeah? Why's that?" I ask her while closing my book. She noticeably fidgets in her seat and shifts her weight around while thinking of a response.

"Well, I know you weren't extremely accustomed to literature, to it was nice seeing you take a step to start reading." She holds on to her lavender locks, awaiting a response from me.

"Well, I've never been against reading and you _did_ give me this book so I might as well read it!"

She blushes and looks away for a second before turning back to me with a soft look in her eyes.

"You know, I was skeptical when Sayori told us about a new member arriving, but after meeting you, I'm very glad you showed up."

Something about her being sweet and nice makes me uneasy. Her whole demeanor was much different today than it has been. She seemed less fidgety, she stuttered way less, she was more _forward_ and confident. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it still put me on edge.

"Say, Yuri, you seem much more…_open_ today than I've noticed the past few days."

She smiles to herself before locking her purple eyes with my own.

"Well, I've been reading about how expressing your emotions positively can lead to a healthier mind. I decided that I should try and work on it. And you noticed. It's very endearing hehehe~." She really wasn't kidding! I don't know if I can keep up!

I clear my throat. "Well, just don't strain yourself okay?"

She giggles as me and stares at me. Her face starts to redden as she looks me all over. And I mean _all _over. It sort of makes me…uncomfortable. It then reminds me of the dream I had last night.

The dream with Yuri, where she was crazy obsessed with me. Where she wanted nothing but me to love her forever. The way she was in the dream really scared me and I really hope that's not how she is in real life.

'_Well of course it's not how she is, that was a dream!'_ I look up and lock eyes with her again. Her eyes glaze over and she clutches her hands to her chest. I get a feeling of unease. I need to distract her from whatever may be on her mind.

"Got something on your mind, Yuri?" '_Yeah sure, lets distract her by asking what she's literally thinking about'_ I scold myself.

Her eyes dart around the room for a second before settling on me. She shifts in her plastic seat and takes a deep breath.

"Nothing to serious, if I'm being entirely honest with you. I'm just thinking about how much healthier I've felt these past few days."

I nod as I listen. Thank _Christ_ she didn't say anything weird about me.

"Well I'm glad to see a positive change! Keep it up, okay?" I tell her while placing the book into my bag and standing up.

I decided it'd be best to find myself I a different situation. I really like talking to Yuri but it's a little too much for me right now, especially with my mind wandering to what's been plaguing me from these past few nights.

"I'm going to go check on Monika and make sure she's doing okay." I tell the lavender girl. She has a noticeable look of disappointment.

"Well, we'll talk when we share poems in a little bit!" She says to me. I simply smile and turn to go to Monika.

I take a deep breath as I get to her desk, but apparently it was a little _too _noticeable.

"Everything okay with you?" She quizzically asks me. She stops flipping over the assortment of papers and pamphlets that were on her desk to face her attention towards me.

I cleared my throat and pull a chair up next to her. "Me? Yeah why wouldn't I be?"

She chuckles and looks clearly pleased with me coming over to her.

"Just wondering….no one usually audibly sighs for nothing." She says.

I just shrug my shoulders and lean back in my chair.

"What made you want to come over? Did you decide you wanted to spend some time with me, _hmm_?" She teases me while batting her eyes at me.

I roll my eyes and try to hide my slight embarrassment. "_No! _I mean not that I don't want to _not _spend time with you." She giggles at me and rests her head in her hand.

"Mhmm so you _did _want to? I don't mind. I like your company, cutie." She walks her hand over and lays it on my arm.

"Monika.." I groan and she laughs at me.

"Christian you're _way_ too easy to tease. It makes it all that much more fun." She laughs and stares at me.

I look around the room at everything or anything _other _than her eyes cause I wasn't trying to look like a damn tomato.

"If you _must_ know, I was having a conversation with Yuri but I just felt weird so I came over here. Nothing too serious."

Her expression turns to slight confusion. "Oh yeah? Weird how?" She kind of focused much more attention now. She shifted her weight and her demeanor was serious.

"Well…" It made me slightly uncomfortable how the air turned to its serious tone. "I'm not entirely sure, just how she was much more open and stuff." As it came out, it made me kind of sound like I was just complaining that she was talking to me. '_Wow I really am letting these dreams get to me._'

I toyed with my blazer's buttons. Monika exhaled and stared at me. "Sounds like maybe she just took a liking to you is all. I'd look at it as more of a blessing, given how she normally is."

I just sigh and look over at Yuri. She was once again set in her book, no doubt lost in her own world in her head.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. I dunno. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I just have been having-" I stop myself from talking about my dreams. It's not really something that I feel like explaining to _anyone_, especially Monika. I don't want her worrying about me like that.

"…..Having what?" Monika asks. I shake my head but she doesn't look like she wants to drop it. "Christian, has something seriously been bothering you?" She grips my wrist and shows concern in her green eyes.

"It's been nothing Monika, just me adapting to all this-" I gesture to everyone and the classroom. "It's still weird having no recollection of my previous life and having to act like I've been here my whole life. But that's it. Nothing to seriously worry about."

She leans closer to me. "You know you can talk to me right? I know I come on too strong sometimes, especially given…. Our situation.." She sighs while her eyes glisten. "But I really do care about you. If something is seriously plaguing you, I want you to talk to me about it. I want to help you through anything and _everything_." She squeezes my hand with hers and stares like she's awaiting a response.

I place my hand on hers and hold her gaze. "Monika, I'm fine. I'm not going to lie to you, I have been dealing with some weird ass shit lately. But it's nothing too serious to worry about, or hell even something I even know I want to bring up."

She slides her chair over and wraps her arms around my arm, hugging it and laying her head on my shoulder. Her long, brunette hair draped itself over my shoulder on either side.

"It's okay if you can't tell me now, but I want to help you." Her voice bled with concern and affection.

I don't know why but having her like this felt _amazing_. It made me wonder if we actually _were_ an item before I lost my memory. It just felt nice having a beautiful girl care for me.

I planted a kiss on her head and laid my head on hers. I felt her grip tighten on my arm. I could've sat like this for the rest of the club meeting but realized that we probably would draw attention from the other girls.

She took a deep breath and she buried her face in my arm. I felt heat rise to my face and I started to fidget. I had a weird instinct to hold her and stay in this position but this seriously wasn't the place for that.

"Er-Monika..we're still the clubroom you know…" I shyly say while looking around. She giggles and lifts her face up to mine.

"What's the matter? Getting embarrassed dear?" She leans up and kisses my cheek. I stare at her for a second before sitting up straight again and creating distance between us again. She just laughs at her little victory and watches me try to calm down.

"Monika.." I complain. She really was starting to get to me, and it was _frustrating_. I don't know why, I just didn't want to be in that kind of situation right now. But she makes it so damn hard _not_ to.

I glance back at her staring at me and I blush. It's like she knows she's winning. '_wait winning? Why am I admitting to her winning?'_

I'm broken out of my thoughts as Monika stands up to address the class. "Okay, everyone! Poem time!"

…..….

I shared my poem with Monika first, mostly because she was right next to me and I was kind of lazy from the situation prior.

She eyed it over, a smile enveloping her face. She must've re-read it several times and she said the words to her herself like she was taking every part of the poem in. She finally finishes and looks back at me while handing me the poem.

"You know, I _really_ love reading about what's on your mind. Or rather, what's _in _your mind. Its very intriguing and I love getting to know the _real _you."

I laugh nervously to myself and rub the back of my head.

"Yeah well, you know, it's much easier that way. Besides, I honestly don't think too much about what I write, I just kind of go with the flow on whatever pours out and hope it's good enough for the club."

She chuckles and props herself on her desk. "Yeah? That's one way to do it. Besides, that really means that everything that's on that paper there is genuine. I can't wait to see what else you come up with." She flashes a sweet smile at me and slightly blushes.

"Well as long as you're enjoying them then that's good enough for me." I tell her.

She turns her head to the side slightly and smirks. "You trying to impress me, mister?"

I roll my eyes at her and smirk back. "I mean _no_, but you being the president and all, it's a damn good confidence booster if you like them." I raise an eyebrow at her. "Unless, that is, you just say those things cause you're trying to get some bonus points."

She chuckles and steps a tad closer. "Me? Brownie points? Oh, _please_." She gives me a smirk and cocks an eyebrow.

Does she think I have weaknesses? Or _know_ them? Cause I sure as hell don't and something is working against me.

"Okay, okay I get it." I chuckle at her. "I think it's time to rotate, don't want to get jumped by other girls craving my attention." I flash a wink her direction.

"Well okay then Mr. Ladies-Man. We'll talk later."

With that, I turn to see who else is available. Natsuki and Sayori were chatting away with their poems and from the looks of it, Sayori was giving her a hard time. No doubt about her being cute or something. That left…Yuri.

She was in the back of the room at a desk staring in my direction, like she was patiently waiting. She held her lavender hair in her hands and rubbed her fingers through it. Her purple eyes were fixated on me like I was the only one in the clubroom.

If I'm being completely honest, Yuri was indeed a gorgeous girl. I mean all the club girls are beautiful and have their own quirks that go with who they are that make them special, but I did like Yuri's shy demeanor. It's just, I don't think that could ever happen between me and her... Especially because of….Monika.

I shake those thoughts out of my head and approach the tall lovely.

She blushes at me and shoots me a cute look.

"Thinking about me? I saw you standing still, lost in thought and staring my direction." Yuri says while sitting up straight.

I internally scream. '_Shit, she saw me staring."_ I decided to go with sort of a half lie.

"Well honestly, I was just thinking about everyone in the club room and how I'm surprised on how much of a good time this has turned out to be."

She nods her head like she was apprehending everything I was saying. "I see. Well like I stated before, it's a pleasure having you in the Literature Club, Christian."

I smile at her and lift up my poem. "Well if that's the case, care to read my poor literary piece of paper?"

She smiles and reaches for it. "Yes. Yes I would."

She looks it over for what I feel like is ages. She had to have read it like 5 times now. I awkwardly stand and look around, trying to look occupied. I cleared my throat and she jumps in place.

"Oh er-sorry I forgot to start speaking!" She tells me.

"It's okay, Yuri. What did you think of it?"

She smiles widely. "I think it's incredible! I love your use of metaphors, it really adds to the atmosphere of the poem."

I nod. "Well I'm glad you liked it. Truth be told, I kind of just wing it. I write what comes to my head and hope it's well enough for the club."

She chuckles to herself and places the poem on her desk. "Well I think that you do a _very _good job. It's clear you're a natural when it comes to poetry. Obviously, you're still learning and there's nothing wrong with that, but you're excelling admirably."

I sigh and pick up my poem. "Well, thank your for your insight Yuri. It's always a treat."

She giggles and blushes to herself. "I'm happy you think so Christian…"

She seems to drift off into her thoughts so I clear my throat again. "Er-Yuri, can I read your poem now?"

She holds her eyes on mine. "I would love to share it. If it's with you, anyways."

I chuckle nervously and take the poem from her. It's pretty metaphorical and hard to decipher what it's about. I try my best to understand but my brain can only work so hard.

I hand the poem back to her. "Wow Yuri, this is pretty damn good."

She smiles widely and takes hold of her paper. "I'm so happy to hear you liked it, Christian. After the fight with Natsuki yesterday, we decided it'd be best to write about a similar topic so we could have an easier discussion."

I nod. "Wow, that's neat! And I'm very glad to see you two working on being better when it comes to each other's differences. I don't know either of you two well at all but I knew I didn't like what I saw."

She sighs and sheepishly looks at the floor.

"I really didn't mean to put a bad image on us. Or the club for that matter.."

I lay my hand on her shoulder.

"Yuri, don't worry. It takes a lot more than that to scare me away." I flash a wide smile and laugh at myself.

She chuckles and sighs. "Well I'm glad you enjoy it so much.."

I was about to respond when I saw a coral blur out of my peripheral vision. I turn just in time to get a rib-cracking hug by none other than the air-head herself.

I grunt and lean myself onto the desk. "Jesus, Sayori. One of these days you're going to seriously injure me beyond repair."

She giggles to herself and I hear Natsuki speak up.

"Yeah well maybe she _should _do that then. Like geez, stop holding up the poem sharing! You and Yuri getting all lovey-dovey or something?" She puts her hands on her hips and smirks at us.

Yuri looks at the floor and buries her head in her hair. "Na-natuski! Why would you say such a thing…"

Natsuki busts up laughing. "Oh, come on! I couldn't help myself; I just love seeing your reactions. It's _way _too easy."

I roll my eyes and chuckle. "Well since you're here, mind if I read your poem, Cupcake?"

Natsuki shoots me a glare. "Hey watch it! Don't call me that!"

I laugh at her and take the poem out of her hand swiftly before she can react. "Oh what, I can't pick on you back? Come on now, who else am I supposed to pick on."

She huffs and looks at Sayori. "Well for starters, you can keep on messing with Sayori. That's always pretty funny."

Sayori, who was now sitting on a desk after giving Yuri her poem, fake pouted.

"Hey now, meanies! It's not nice to pick on someone!"

Me and Natsuki share a laugh. "Who said anything about being nice?" I stick my tongue out at her and turn my attention to Natsuki's poem.

It is _clearly _a very her poem. It uses a much simpler vernacular but that doesn't deter it from being a good poem. She also wrote with a similar topic that Yuri did, it being about a beach. Yuri's was more serious and metaphorical while Natsuki's was sweet and light-hearted.

I hand the pink-haired baker back her poem. "I think it's pretty good, 'lil lady!"

She grabs it from me. "Well duh, of _course_ it is. I'm a pro after all." Me offers a huge smile with her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, yeah.." I say as I grab Sayori's poem from her. She practically bounces on the desk she's on in anticipation. It's a very nice sight to see after how down she has been earlier. Maybe that chat we had and some alone time was really all she needed.

I laugh to myself as I look over her poem.

_**Bottles**_

_I pop off my scalp like the lid of a cookie jar._

_It's the secret place where I keep all my dreams_

_Little balls of sunshine, all rubbing together like a bundle of kittens._

_I reach inside with my thumb and forefinger and pluck one out_

_It's warm and tingly_

_But there's no time to waste! I put it in a bottle to keep it safe_

_And I put the bottle on the shelf with all of the other bottles_

_Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in bottles, all in a row_

_My collection makes me lots of friends_

_Each bottle a starlight to make amends_

_Sometimes my friend feels a certain way_

_Down comes a bottle to save the day_

_Night after night, more dreams_

_Friend after friend, more bottles_

_Deeper and deeper my fingers go_

_Like exploring a dark cave, discovering the secrets hiding in the nooks and crannies_

_Digging and digging, scraping and scraping_

_I blow dust off my bottle caps_

_It doesn't feel like time elapsed_

_My empty shelf could use some more_

_My friends look through my locked front door_

_Finally, all done. I open up, and in come my friends_

_In they come, in such a hurry. Do they want my bottles that much?_

_I frantically put them from the shelf, one after the other_

_Holding them out to each and every friend_

_Each and every bottle_

_But everytime I let one go, it shatters against the tile between my feet_

_Happy thoughts, happy thoughts, happy thoughts in shard, all over the floor_

_They were supposed to be for my friends, my friends who aren't smiling_

_They're all shouting, pleading for something_

_But all I hear is echo, echo, echo, echo, echo_

_Inside my head_

I look up at Sayori who was beaming my direction.

"Er, Sayori? This is good but definitely not what I expected from you."

She chuckles. "Meanie! I can write anything! I told you I was going to write the best poem ever today!"

"Yeah, but normally you just radiate happy and giddy so, it's a contrast is all."

She bounds over and pokes my head. "Well like I said yesterday, I love happy _and _sad."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I nudge her with my elbow.

Monika comes over and gets everyone's attention.

"Okay, everyone! I think that about wraps it up for today! I can't wait to continue this onward for tomorrow! And remember, tomorrow's Friday so give it your best for the week!" She shoots a wink my direction.

The girls chit-chat amongst themselves as they gather their belongings to exit. Sayori bounds up to me. "Hey, Christian! Ready to go home?"

I nod and shoulder my bag. With that, we head out the door and head home.

…...….…...

The air outside was cold, biting into my skin as we walked. I'm going to _definitely_ need to remember to wear a coat tomorrow. The snow has stop falling, but everything was layered in soft, powdery snow. It was a beautiful sight, despite how hunched up my body was to preserve heat.

Of course there was tons of almost-slips from the two of us (I mostly almost fell because the air-head would grab me and almost take me down with her) but other than that, the walk home was quiet except for the slight crunching of the snow beneath our feet.

As we approach our houses, Sayori speaks up.

"Christian, I'm sorry about today."

I glance at her. "Sorry for what?"

"Well, I got a little too weak and it showed. I don't like to worry people. Its bittersweet when people care about me."

I slide my hand on her arm. "You know you aren't a bother when you're upset, right? You're literally a human being. Everybody gets sad, Sayori."

"Yes, but that's not exactly what I meant though." She sighs at me. Her giddy behavior that surfaced itself during the poem reading once again was suppressed by the lower-energy demeanor she showed all day.

"Well, what do you mean then? How could I help? At this point we were standing in front of her house. She refused to look at me. Her face wore a pained expression and looked like she was holding back tears.

"You don't understand at all, Christian. It hurts when people care about me. It feels bittersweet when people try to cheer me up. It's like thorns worming its way around my heart. Why should I get out of bed in the morning? Why should I wake up? Why should I eat? Why do anything when I know how truly worthless I am? Sometimes I wish I could just….I could just….disappear."

I just stand there stunned at what I just heard. Before I could even react, she turns and walks to her house without a word.

My mind immediately rushes to the dreams I've been dealing with. My stress and anxiety, all eating away at me even though I've been trying so hard to get past it. She says I don't understand, but that couldn't be farther from the truth, for I've never felt so out of place and empty in my entire life.

"Sayori, wait!" I jog up to her and grab her arm. She still doesn't turn to me and I can see her body shaking while she lightly sobs. I pull her into a hug and lay my chin on her head. She doesn't hug me back, just keeps her arms at her side.

"Just because you have darkness in your head, doesn't mean you're alone. Clouds will come and they will stay. You can keep a smile on your face and hide how you truly feel all day long, but you will never be alone. I have been having the worst week of my life mentally and it's terrible. I have been avoiding talking to you and Monika about it because it scares me. I'm scared of what's happening to me, I don't understand what it all means and I just feel worthless. I've never felt so out of place in my life and my mind has been dangerously straying from me. So, before you go thinking that you are the only one in thousands and thousands of people who deal with darkness, just know I still haven't found my own light."

After several moments, Sayori wordlessly lifted her arms up to reciprocate my hug.

It was quiet around us, except for a small breeze that manifested and boosted the bite in the cold air. I just held onto my friend, who just came to light to having an infected mind.

I don't know why I gave her that little bit of information but watching and hearing her beat herself up really ate at me. I needed to relate to her, and that was the only reason I knew how.

"Christian….." Sayori starts, her voice low. "Is that true? About….you?"

I run my fingers through her soft hair. "Yeah. It is. I almost told Monika today but I just couldn't bring myself to talk about it. I haven't woken up once this week without a pathetic cry session following it or me being drenched in sweat. Or both if I'm _super _lucky."

She was quiet once again. I sighed and broke the embrace. "_But_ making others happy has been the one thing that has numbed the bullshit. That's why after seeing you today, I kind of subconsciously decided that I wanted to help you. There's a reason why you're my bestest friend and I'm the only one allowed to be upset." I gently poke her head and she giggles.

"Yeah, but you don't deserve to be upset either!"

I chuckle and look up to the sky. "Yeah well, If there is any way for me to keep your spirits up, and everyone else in the club for that matter, then I feel like I can rest easy."

More silence falls between us as we both get lost in thought. I see Sayori shake and it occurs to me that I've kept us out in the cold for far too long.

"Er, we should get out of this cold, I'm sorry for keeping you cold little lady." I take her keys and open the door for her (Shut up, I know I had to check different keys before I found the right one, keep your comments to yourself). She walks inside and turns to me as I hand her the keys.

"Don't forget I'm right next door, just a door knock or a call away, okay air-head?"

She giggles weakly. "I won't, meanie."

I give her a small smile and turn to head to my own house. She watches me walk down her walkway, and when I get to sidewalk I hear her front door close. I sigh and make my way to my own place, getting inside.


	5. Intimacy (Uncut)

**A/N **– Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying the story so far, literally still just having a few ideas and a clear understanding on where I want this to go while mostly winging it. This chapter kinda has some um, I don't remember what the hell the term is called but _smut? _Either way there's some sexual stuff in the chapter so I kind of have an edited version and an uncut version (This one being the uncut one) just in case it's weird or uncomfortable. First time kind of writing the stuff so yeah! Anyways, please enjoy:)

…

"-Call now and you'll get not one, but _two _turbo froster freezie packs!"

I look up from my phone to see some lame commercial for a product I feel no one is going to buy. I was lounging in my recliner chair and scrolling through the inter-webs to help decompress.

Today was a mentally straining day from start to finish. Sayori, Yuri and Monika….so much stuff that just taxed my mind. I immediately crashed onto my recliner upon entering my home and haven't moved in a few hours.

I wasn't hungry. I wasn't thirsty. I just felt drained. Part of me wanted to shower or take a bath and go lay down but I knew I wouldn't fall asleep even if I wanted. Or hell, I was _scared _to sleep. Nightmares kind of give you a phobia to sleep.

I got tired of hearing the television in the background so I dug out some headphones from my pocket (I seem to have a healthy supply) and plugged them into my phone. I found a playlist that said "In the Feels" and felt like it was appropriate. Didn't recognize any of the songs or artists but the nice rock tunes eased my mind. I put my phone down and zoned out staring at the ceiling.

"**I don't want to know it's over, so save your goodbye kiss. I don't wanna kno- BZZT BZZT!"**

I glance down and see that someone messaged me. I pick up my phone and unlock it to read it. I open up the social media messenger that I used the other night (apparently I don't have anyone's number but Sayori's and some pizza place) and find out it was from Monika. My heart skipped a beat until I scolded it for acting so rashly and read the message.

**M: "Hey, you."**

** C: "Hey Monika, what's up?"**

I glance at the TV and notice an info-mercial for some nice-looking boots until I'm distracted by my phone.

**M: "Well, I was going to call you and realized I didn't have your number!"**

** C: "Yeah I don't know why but I have like no people in my contacts….is that my cue to give you my digits?"** I respond to her.

**M: "Yes pleaseeee! ****"**

I exchange my number and my phone falls silent again. A few minutes and nothing happens so I just go back to enjoying my music.

Right as I pick a song, my phone starts to buzz. I see a caller ID I don't recognize and assume it's Monika. '_Sure hope I'm right_'

I answer and try to sound as dangerous as I can. "Um…Hello?"

I hear a soft giggle from the other side of the phone.

"Wow, are you trying to sound manlier or something?"

I laugh to myself and respond. "Well, yeah. I didn't know who it was!"

"You _literally _just gave me your number! Who else would call you? I know you don't know _that _many people!" She teases.

"Hey now, I'll have you know that I've had info-mercials on for the past hour or so and there was a pair of heavy-duty boots that looked rad. They could've sensed my curiosity or something!"

She laughs her cute ass laugh. "Well I'm glad you mentioned that because for the low-low price of 45.99$ you can purchase these heavy-duty boots for FREE!" She lowers her voice and tries to sound like a commercial spokesman and fails horribly.

I bust out laughing. "Oh, shut up doofus." I catch my breath and sigh.

"What are you doing my dear?" She asks me. Her voice is chirpy and slightly higher on the phone then usual but that doesn't deter her from still sounding cute. '_Wait, no. Not cute! Not cute!'_

"Nothing much, just listening to music and decompressing." I respond while looking at the ceiling.

"Mhm I see. Very interesting and productive." She responds.

I chuckle and scold her. "Oh shush, like you're doing anything _better."_

"I'll have you know I've been cleaning my house, doing homework and working on stuff for club. So yes I _have _been! And don't you roll your eyes at me!"

I try not to laugh as I literally just rolled my eyes and was trying to figure out what kind of magic powers she possessed.

"Anywaysss.." She says coyly. "Do you want to meet up?"

I sit up in my chair. "Meet up?"

I can hear her pause for a second before responding. "Yeah, you know like hang out.." She pauses again. "I can come over…"

I sigh and close my eyes to think. '_Monika wants to come over…and the sun is almost down….shit just to hang out, right? Like nothing else will happen…right?'_

I guess I zoned out talking to myself because Monika clears her throat on her end of the phone. "Christian? Are you there?" she nervously says.

"Oh shi-yeah, yeah I'm here. Sorry I was just thinking. I um….I don't see a problem with you coming over.." I tell her.

"Really? Okay, okay I'll be over in like…..10 minutes!" Her voices practically screams in excitement and she hangs up.

'_Oh lord what did I just get myself into..' _I sigh to myself as I glance around my house. It's still in order but there are some things lying out of place, like a book or two and some trash.

I get up and start cleaning up my house to prepare for my gorgeous guest that's coming over on a Thursday evening.

….

I was washing my hands at the sink when I heard my door knock. I sigh and dry off my hands and walk to my door to open it. When I swing the entrance open, I'm acquainted with the green-eyed goddess herself.

"Hey, Christian." She says to me, smiling.

I bashfully smile and step aside. "Hey, come on in."

She skips on in and makes herself at home. She kicked her shoes against the mat on the ground to remove the snow that built up from her walk over. Her black trench coat she had on was taken off and hung on the coat rack, revealing a red and black long sleeve flannel shirt and some tight fighting jeans. I felt myself just staring in awe. She looked fucking _incredible_. I don't know how she knew my favorite colors _and _my love for button shirts on a lady but apparently she can read minds. Like she seriously must have some sort of magical prowess.

She twirls and takes a seat on one of the stools in the kitchen. "Like what you see, cutie?"

I cough and try to act like I was putting away her coat and failing miserably. She laughed heartily. "It's okay, I _love _it when you stare at me." She says seductively and winks. '_Good lord tonight's going to be a doozy'_ I tell myself.

I walk into my kitchen and pull out some juice and a cup. "Look, okay fine I was staring. I just think you look incredible is all." I say this while I have my back to her because I don't think I could bring myself to do it the other way.

I finish pouring the cup and turn to face her. She had her head cupped in her hands with her elbows on the counter and was staring at me, blushing. "Really? I'm glad you actually like it.." She says wistfully.

She stares dreamily at me while I avoid eye contact. "Would you um…want something to drink?"

She nods. "Are you available to drink?"

I groan and tell her no while opening my fridge for her to see if she had a request. She fake pouts and calls for the same juice that I got for myself. I pour her a glass and I sit across from her.

"What made you want to hang out?" I quizzically ask her.

She takes a drink and sets her cup down. "I just wanted to see you. I wanted to get to know you and you have stuff going on right now, so I wanted to keep you company."

I smile slightly and lay my head on my head. "Yeah? You sure it has nothing to do with you coming over to my house at night? Just the two of us?"

She bashfully smiles and avoids eye contact. "Well I mean, _duh_ you're handsome and I would literally _die _to get alone time with you in any and_ every _way buttttt….I really do just want to spend time and relax with your company."

I sigh and finish my drink. "Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate you being here." She blushes as I stand up. "All right then, lets take this party to the couch. To talk! Just to talk!" I quickly throw in before she gets any ideas.

She giggles happily and we make our way to the living area. I sit down on one of the couches and she plops _right _next to me. She throws her legs over mine and lays her head on my shoulder.

"Monika.." I complain.

"Christian….you know how long I've waited for anything like this? Or for you? I just wanted to feel warmth and comfort is all.." She shyly says as her voice trails off.

'_Is she that starved for attention?_' I think to myself.

I sigh and wrap my arm around her to pull her closer to me. Or more accurately, _on _me. She nuzzles her head onto my shoulder/chest and sighs happily.

My eyes sweep across her body as thoughts pop into my head. I never really paid too much attention, but the school uniform doesn't do her any justice. She is _seriously _curvy. Her legs are toned, and I remember hearing her say something about being athletic. I turn my attention to her shirt, which seriously brings out the green in her eyes because of the colors complimenting each other. All her physical beauty is topped off by her cute face and her mesmerizing green eyes, which I just realized I had been staring longing into.

I avert my gaze and look anywhere else, heat rising to my face. She tilts her head and smirks. "Enjoying the view, _hm_? You had such a hungry look in your eyes, it's making me _excited_." She says seductively. She wiggles her ass in my lap and at this point I'm dying of embarrassment and slight arousal.

"Sorry Monika, I literally just got distracted is all.." I stammer out. She does one last, drawn out wiggle in my lap and turns her face to mine. I feel her breath on my neck and I get goosebumps.

"You can do more than _look_, you know…" She whispers onto my neck, and slowly grazes my chest with her hand, lightly grasping at my shirt. Her breathing became shallow and I felt her lips gently land on my neck.

I nervously swallow and try to concentrate on anything else.

She moved her mouth slowly up to my ear. Her breathing was slow but had the intensity of a typhoon. Feeling her breath and _hearing _it in my ear was doing things to me that I really wish wasn't happening. She lightly nibbled on my earlobe and I felt her tongue graze my skin.

My body shuddered and I tried to keep my composure. The room was becoming increasingly hot. I heard her inhale and I closed my eyes.

"Christian…" She whispered delicately into my ear. Her voice was bleeding with lust and desire.

I sat there with my hands limp at my side, unaware of what to do with them. Her hand that was on my shirt lost its grip and began to drift down my body. When I realized where she was going, my hand snapped up and grabbed her wrist.

I felt her mouth twist into a smirk and she nibbled on my ear again. "What's the matter? Getting _excited _my love_?"_

My mind was exploding. I couldn't concentrate on anything. My mind was cluttered with hundreds of thoughts but there was only one thing that was certain that I couldn't deny; my desire for Monika.

I opened my eyes and looked down into her emerald orbs. They were filled with lust and love, like I was the single most thing that mattered to her the most at that moment. It was in this moment that I told myself that I wasn't going to fight anymore. Was it love? I had no fucking clue, but whatever the emotion is, Monika is the sole reason.

I brought a hand up under her chin and lightly pushed her face up to mine. Her eyes became half glazed and her lips were parting gently. I closed my eyes and dipped my head down, pushing my lips to hers and closing the gap between us.

The feeling was _insane. _My whole body got a wash of warmth from head to toe, seeping into my bones and soul. My mind blanked and all I could feel is Monika. Her lips were soft and warm, and I could feel her body falling into the kiss gently. She moaned softly as I wrapped my arms around her and reciprocated.

I broke the kiss and open my eyes. Remnants of cherry still lingered on my lips. Her breathing was haggard and low. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she had a blush on her face. I took a big breath and tried to process what just happened. I cleared my throat and attempted to speak.

"Monika…I think I have a confession."

She smirks and sits up, repositioning herself on to my lap, straddling me. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls herself fully onto me, squeezing her breast onto mine.

"You do? And what that might be, Christian?" See says to me seductively while keeping eye contact, her smirk never fading. She slowly grinded her hips on mine and was making it _very_ hard to concentrate.

I grab her sides and she hums happily to my touch while I take a breath so I can speak with a rational thought. "Um, so…..remember when like you were all '_Christian I love you, you're the best thing ever_' and I'm all '_Oh geez that's nice but I'm fucked up_' and blah blah?"

She laughs at my stupid re-enactment of our conversation. "Yes Christian, I do. What about it?" She pulls one of my hands up and kisses is tenderly before placing it to its former position.

"Well, I'm sitting here, and you're on my lap and stuff and like, I don't know what's happening but you're all like beautiful and stuff and just like existing near me and you make it hard to think properly and straight and also you just help calm my mind in the hell that is my imagination and I get this weird comfortable feeling that i've known you for awhile or something…" I just ramble on before she places a finger to my lips and giggles.

She grinds her hips on my lap again to elicit a response and I groan softly to myself. "Yes Christian, I'm in love with you too."

I blush and look away. She places her warm hand on my face and pulls it to look at her again. She has a warm smile on her face.

"Don't be embarrassed my love. It's all I've wanted. And to know I help you, it makes me really happy."

She runs her hand down to my chest and lets it idle there. I bring my hand up to hers and squeeze it.

"Yeah well, I don't know, it definitely is a nice feeling. So um, I'll try not to be _too _prideful and just accept that you're irresistible."

Her face flushes and has a look of desire replace her gentle look. "Irresistible, hm?" She brings her hands down and dangerously lingers at my sweat's waistband. I feel my arousal spike again and my heart starts pounding. I can tell that she knows what she's doing to me and she's enjoying _every minute of it_.

"Christian.." She says lowly.

"Yes..?" I respond, uncertainty hinting in my voice.

She leaned in closer to me, pressing her body to mine, and whispered "I'm all yours."

She captured my lips in a feverish kiss. I wrap my arms around her back and squeeze her body against mine. Her hands fumble around as she tries to find purchase against my chest.

I feel her tongue prod at my lips as she silently pleads for entrance. I oblige by slowly parting my lips just enough for her to deepen the kiss more. Her tongue wrestles with mine with reckless abandon, and I feel her body slowly move against mine like she can't sit still.

She rips her lips from mine and immediately latches her mouth to my jawline and neck, biting and licking everywhere she can.

She wraps her arms around my neck/shoulders and shift her body weight where we fall lengthwise on the couch. I catch myself with my arms by her head as she settles herself beneath me.

For a second, the love pouring out of the girl has slowed down enough for me to get a good look at her. She was _stunning_, laying there under me. She her green eyes were shining with love and passion, her brunette hair flowed all over the couch and off the sides of the furniture. Her chest was rising and falling to her breathing and I fought every urge to free her body from the fabric.

As if she could read my thoughts, she reached her hands up and gripped the bottom of my shirt, pulling it up. I grasp the base of my shirt and lift up, trying to be as elegant as possible. I hear her gasp as her fingertips softly graze the skin of my abdomen, sending shocks throughout my body.

She salivates at the sight until my shirt gets cause on my head, receiving a snort and a giggle from the brunette beauty until she sat up and helped me get it over my head. I toss the fabric to the side and look down at my prize once more.

I lean down on my elbows to lower my body onto hers, putting my lips to her neck and nibbling at her pulse. She moans softly and open hers legs wider, allowing me fall in between them.

I slowly run my tongue along her neck and move my hand up to grasp her breast. She moans at my touch and pushes her chest upward.

I level myself with my hands and look at her once again. She stares at me with seething lust, her eyes demanding that I take this further. I move my hands to her shirt buttons, slowly unbuttoning her top. My hands were shaking slightly because damnit I was _nervous _as hell. She takes my hand and places a soft kiss on it to reassure me that everything will be fine.

I finish unbuttoning her shirt and it opens, revealing her lime-green undergarments. I finish taking her shirt off by pulling her arms out of the sleeves and tossing her shirt aside.

I pull her up to sit on my lap as I capture her lips once more. Her arms wrap around my neck and I feel her hands on my back. I slip my tongue into her mouth and slip my hands up her back, feeling her bra-strap on my fingertips. I fumble around with the clip until it comes undone, falling limp to her waist, revealing her bare chest.

I pull back to get a look at her. She blushes but doesn't resist. She gives out a yelp of surprise as I toss her down on her back again. I bring my lips down on her neck, slowly kissing down to her chest. Her voice gives out soft moans as my hands explore her body.

My kisses reach down to her chest and pause, my hot breath tickling her skin. She arcs her back and pushes her chest up, allowing me to capture one of her nipples in my mouth.

She moaned out loud and I felt her nails lightly dig into my skin. My tongue experimentally flicked against her soft nipple, and she bucked her hips slowly on mine in response. I lured my left hand up to the remaining untouched breast and teased it as well, not wanting to favor one over the other.

Her chest moved in rhythm to her breathing, her heart rate increasing from every touch I give to her. My hand moved down past her stomach into her jeans and her breathing hitched. My fingers grazed her soft skin until they made their way into her underwear, ever closer to her core.

She moaned and squirmed under my touch. It felt good to be the one in control. Maybe it was a mental thing, where I had put in this world I knew nothing about, but in this one instance, I was in control. I decided what happened. It was exhilarating.

I used my newfound courage and dominance and took us a step further. I moved my fingers over her womanhood, whispered in her ear. "Damn right you're mine."

I felt her body shudder and I took the opportunity to enter her. Without avail, I slide my middle finger inside her, eliciting a loud moan and her griping my back. As new as this was to me, I couldn't help but feel like I had an idea on what I was doing.

I dug my finger farther as I rubbed my palm against her sensitive bundle of nerves. Her body shudder and she bucked her hips as she started to moan out loud, giving in to me.

"_Fuck_, Christian." She moaned. I picked up the pace of my hand, hearing her start to pant and move her hips in time with my hand. I put my lips my her ear and gently nibble on her earlobe. She grips my back fiercely, her nails starting to cut into my skin.

"Christian, I think I'm gonna…." Her thought is interrupted by her own moan as she feels herself growing closer and closer to climax. "Please baby, don't stop" She begs to me.

I grip her breast and drive my finger faster into her until she cries out, wrapping her legs around my waist and shaking like a leaf. I lay myself on top of her body and let her ride out her climax.

A few moments pass and her body movements calm down. She stares at me with passion and her eyes well up. "Christian, I love you so _damn _much."

I lean down and kiss her passionately, savoring the moment. She wraps her arms around my neck and holds me tight.

"I'm going to be honest with you.." I tell her, breaking the comfortable silence. "I don't really know what I'm doing."

Monika giggles and sneaks a kiss. "You definitely could've fooled me. I can't believe you've been keeping all this love to yourself. Especially from me!" She teases me and while giving me her loving stare.

I just chuckle and rub the back of my head. "Yeah well, you already know why…" I falter while I feel slightly guilty. She must've sensed the sudden dour emotion that took over me because she immediately leaned up and gave me a soft, loving kiss.

I allowed the warmth to spread throughout my body and reciprocated. I felt her hand caress my abdomen and venture further down. I break the kiss and look down at her. Her emerald eyes bore up at me and she bit her lip. I felt my whole body ache with arousal.

I stood up and as smooth as I could, took off my pants and boxers. I get back in position and felt a wash of nervousness and embarrassment over my body. I look at her face and she had a look of awe.

She reached down and pawed at my member, causing it to flinch in her hand and me to moan slightly. She excitedly began to unbutton her own pants and I helped her to take off the remaining clothes she had on and toss them across the couch.

We both laid there in silence. I scan my eyes all over her body. She was a _goddess_. She blushed lightly and smiled. "You look stunning as hell." I tell her. She giggled embarrassingly and pulled my face down for a kiss.

I pressed my body against hers and felt her warm skin. My mind was hazy, the sensation was overwhelming. I felt like every square inch on my body was hyperactive, completely aware of when she was touching and where, amplifying all sensations tenfold.

I moved my hands up her torso to grab her breast. She moans in my mouth and grinds her hips against mine, rubs my member against her aroused opening. I pinch her nipple and prod her opening with the tip of my member. She gives a cute moan before breaking the kiss.

"Christian please, I can't wait any longer." She pleads at me, wiggling her hips, causing my member to graze her womanhood. I moan quietly and place I kiss on her forehead. I put my hands in hers and interlock our fingers.

"Ready, dove?" I ask her. Her eyes glisten and she kisses me passionately in response.

I slowly push my hips forward until I feel my tip touch her opening. She gasps but doesn't complain, so I keep going. As I pushed myself in, her body shuddered and she moaned. I felt stars explode behind my eyes as she completed sheathed my member.

When I was fully in, I laid still. Monika was panting against my neck and I could feel her nails gently biting into my skin. I gently kissed her temple and moved my hips. Her cute moans echoed throughout the room and she bucked her hips in response. Her breast dragged against my chest as she moved her body in rhythm to mine.

As awkward as I was with my movements, it didn't take us long to find a rhythm together. I began to pick up the pace and she dug her nails into my back. She bore open-mouthed kisses on my neck and shoulders, trails of saliva being left in its wake every time she tore her mouth away.

I move my mouth down to capture a nipple in my mouth. She arched her back in response and ran her fingers through my hair. My instincts turned primal, every movement I made, every sound, I did without thinking. Grabbing her body, squeezing and thrusting, it felt so natural.

She wrapped her legs around my waist and started being more vocal. I gently bit down on her nipple and pushed myself in with more force and she screamed to the heavens. She griped me hard like she was holding on for dear life.

"Jesus _Christ, Christian! I'm gonna-Ah!" _She started crying out and whimpering to the heavens as her orgasm took over. I grunted as I felt her insides start to tighten as a result, shooting waves of pleasure through out my body. My mind blanked and I felt my thrusts started to stutter as I reached my own climax, pushing into her completed. I gripped her sides and rode out my orgasm, thrusting softly into her until I was spent.

…..

The euphoria from the experience began to fade as I controlled my breathing. I propped myself up to look at my lover, who had her eyes closed and her hands grasping at her heart.

I leaned up and kissed her forehead. "Hey there sweetheart, you doing okay?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she landed them on mine. A smile spread across her face and she reached a hand up to stroke my cheek.

"Christian that was _incredible_! It felt so good and It was everything I could have ever wished for." She ran her fingers along my cheek and stared longingly into my eyes.

I sighed and grinned without realizing it. Her smile turned into a smirk.

"What's got _you_ so smiley? Hm? Does loving me feel amazing?" She teased me while running kisses up and down my arm. I smirked and stole her lips in a kiss.

"Maybe…just a bit!" I tell her. She fake pouted and crossed her arms.

"Only a little bit? I guess I'm not good enough after all…" She replies.

I rolled my eyes playfully and kissed her cheek. "Just kidding, just kidding.."

I sat up and got off the couch. I grabbed my pair of sweats and threw them on so I wasn't _completely _nude off my ass. She picked up my shirt to throw on but complained about not wanting to wear her jeans. I ran up to my room to grab myself a clean shirt and her an extra pair of sweats I had so she could be comfortable.

I gave her the pants and she threw them on, looking extra cute garbed up in my clothes. We plopped our asses on my couch and she snuggled up to me, sighing happily. I turned on the television and laid my head back on the couch.

"Soo.." Monika says, breaking the silence between us. "Are we a couple?" She started kissing my cheek repeatedly, cause me to chuckle and keep my face as far as I can while she sat in my lap.

"I mean, I dunno, I guess so. It's still all so weird and I don't want to do anything too crazy or fast.." I responded.

I look at her and she had her eyebrows furrowed but held a smirk.

"Christian, you do realize we literally just had sex, right?" She tells me.

"Well I mean yeah, but-" I tried saying but she interrupts me.

"No buts! I'm not talking about getting married right now you _doofus!_" She poked my cheek while name-calling. "I just need to know that after this you aren't just going to go back to pushing me aside and avoiding me."

I looked at her face and understood what she meant. She was the only one in a world she was stuck in and was luckily enough to have me come into her life and reciprocate her love. She was scared I would use her or just leave when I was done. Which I was _not _about.

I leaned over and stole her lips in a kiss. "Monika, you literally forced my love to overtake my pride. I'm not going anywhere."

She giggled and blushed and grabbed my face again for a kiss. I felt her smile form on my lips and she pulled away. "You know..."

I looked for her to finish but she innocently looked everywhere but me, baiting me to ask.

"I know…what?" I ask. She leaned her head on my shoulder and held my hand in her own, looking it over like she was inspecting it.

"Since we're together now….we don't hide things, right?" She asks me, kissing my palm.

"I mean, I would assume not." I reply, uncertain on where she was going with the conversation.

"So…..you mentioned in the club that you had some stuff plaguing you….can you share them with me?"

I hesitate. It's not exactly the best thing that has been on my mind. I could barely bring it up to Sayori, who legitimately has depression. I don't know if I could tell everything to my new lover.

She squeezed my hand and draws my gaze. Her eyes have love, yes, but also an overwhelming sense of concern.

"Christian…please." She tells me, her voice slightly shaking.

I lean over and place a kiss on her forehead. She relaxes her head on my shoulder and runs her finger over in my palm.

"I don't even know where to start.." I begin.

She kisses my palm. "It's okay my love. Take your time."

I sigh and kiss her head. _'Jesus I think I actually do love this girl.' _I tell myself. She does make everything much easier with her compassion.

"Well, I've been having nightmares about the club girls." I start. She doesn't say anything so feel its safe to continue.

"I don't know why, or what's triggering them, but I've just had such _lucid _dreams about the girls. Well, more specifically Sayori and Yuri."

She sits there silent. Her head is on my shoulder so I can't exactly see her expression.

"Do you remember the details of the dreams?" She says, her voice guarded.

I clear my throat before continuing. "Er-yeah, it was pretty real. The first one I had was from Sayori. I actually had it right before your first visit, the night of the first day that I don't remember anything."

I pause to see if she had any input before continuing. "It was weird. I was in darkness, like no specific place or setting, just what I assume was the dream world. There was a gravely, sinister voice and it seemed like it was taunting me. Telling me I can't save anyone or I will fail, stuff like that. After a few of his lines, it's like I could see a scene but I was there. I saw someone hanging and then the body started _speaking_ to me. I could recognize the voice but couldn't place it. Then, the body looked at me and I realized it was Sayori. She was saying I killed her. That's when I woke up."

She turned her head up to me and kissed my chin. The air seemed much more serious than it had before and it concerned me. She didn't really make any particular comment though, just insisted me to continue in a flat tone.

"Well, the Yuri dream was the most recent one. It happened last night. We were in the clubroom and it was dusk, so I assume that the setting was after school. The same sinister voice was taunting me, and it was just me and Yuri. She looked the same but was much more…..assertive. She kept saying things about her love for me, which normally if a pretty girl was saying she loved you would be cool but her body language and demeanor clearly shown that she had something wrong. But when she asked if I felt the same, I was finally able to say no. She then stabbed herself to death in front of me, saying that I killed her or that we can be together forever or someshit. That was that dream too."

I finish with a sigh, mostly because I hated having to recall them. It for some reason drained me mentally.

Monika seemed to shake in my lap. I placed a kiss on head. "Monika? What are your thoughts, baby?"

She takes a shakey breath and turns her face to mine.

"Christian…..those dreams are like the game."

I must've had a quizzical look on my face because I didn't even need to respond for her to continue.

"In the original game, each of the girls had a problem. Sayori had depression, Yuri was prone to self-harm, and Natsuki had an abusive father and was malnourished. During the course of the game, their traits would be amplified. For example, Sayori's depression would be increased and she….committed suicide. Yuri's obsessive quality was increased ten-fold and she pretty much prevented everyone else in the club from making contact to you so she could have you to herself." She finished her sentence and took a shaky breath.

"What amplified their traits?" I ask Monika. She flinched like someone yelled or raise a fist at her. She looked up at me but remained quiet.

"Monika…" I asked, pouring more concern and assertiveness into my tone. "I've been being haunted with these dreams, tell me what happened."

Tears started to fall from her face. Clearly concerned, I wiped the first few away.

"Christian…do you remember when I told you that you were the protagonist in a romance game and all the girls had like…chances with you but me?"

I simply nodded my head.

"Well, because I was self-aware of the game, I had certain privileges and could access the games code. Because it was _just a game, _I was obviously upset that I was the only one that could understand love and didn't get it.." She faltered and looked at me nervously before continuing. "..so I kind of altered the girls in the game to make them less appealing to you so you could be with me. But that backfired and everything went haywire anyways."

She finished and looked at me, awaiting a response. I just stared pensively at the wall straight ahead and processed what she said.

"So…" I say, my tone stern. "You, in the game, made all the girls faults increase which made them become extremely fucked up and commit suicide, and that probably has something to do with my nightmares?"

She softly nods her head. I scooch her off my lap, onto the couch and I stand up.

"Monika, you were _jealous_ for something that a player had no control over, so you amplified the girls negative qualities which led to catastrophic casualties just so you can get love?" I said in disbelief.

She avoided eye contact. I could see the tears pouring from her face.

"They weren't _real, _were just scripts-" She starts but I cut her off.

"Monika! Do you hear yourself? You're justifying killing these girls because they 'weren't real', but then you drag me out of my own life into this world, where it becomes _completely real_, and I am stuck with these nightmares of the girls becoming completely insane, which may or may not be influencing how they _actually_ act now because this may still be a game?"

My voice came out hoarse and assertive, almost a half yell. She flinched at my words.

"Christian, there's no way this can be like the game, it's just so _real _now.." She stutters out, her eyes darting all around the room.

"Do you remember day one of my experience in the club? With Yuri and Natsuki fighting? You seemed _very _aware that it was a bad situation. And what about Yuri's weird behavior today?" At this point, I was pacing around the room, but keeping my stern tone. "Now knowing she has obsessive qualities, I can one hundred percent believe that the same instances are occurring! And Sayori!"

I practically yelled Sayori's name at Monika. She just looked at me with the face of a lost puppy, unable to stop the onslaught of tears raining from her eyes.

"All she did today was be distant! She was quiet, kept to herself, and when we walked home she _literally _told me that she wishes she could disappear! The same events are happening Monika!"

I stand there, ten feet away from her, shaking where I stood. Monika's gaze was dead set on the ground.

She abruptly stood up and made her way to my front door, grabbing her trench coat in the process.

"Monika.." I start but she already was throwing her second arm into her sleeve and opening the door. She walked out without a word.

I quickly slide my feet into a pair of sneakers that were sitting by the door and take off after her.

The sun had gone completely down and the only illumination was from streetlights littered throughout the roads and the moon that had a soft glow with it. Monika must've started running because she was nowhere in sight.

My adrenaline kicked in and I took off running, following the footsteps that Monika left.

The air was cold. It bit into my skin and I had no protection because I left my jacket at my house. All I could hear was the sounds of my tired breaths from running and the crunching of snow beneath my feet. My adrenaline was wearing off and I was becoming for anxious. I didn't want to leave Monika alone out here in the cold.

After following the tracks for ten minutes, I realized they led to the park that I went to the other night when I went for a stroll. I walked the path towards the playground equipment and saw a figure, sitting on the steps of a jungle gym. As I approached, I confirmed it was Monika.

I walked up next to her quietly (well, as quiet as I can with the fucking loud crunching of the snow) and sat next to her. There was snow on the steps so when I sat down, my ass was immediately greeted with the cold embrace of the cold precipitation.

There was silence between us. There was no breeze tonight so the air was still. The ground was a beautiful shade of white, twinkling in the soft glow from the moonlight.

"I had no choice, you know." Monika states out of the quiet. I turn to look at her. She had a hardened stare, fixated in front of her. "As much as I knew what was going on, I still was bound to the code and how the game played out."

Her voice cracked as she talked, like any moment she could break down.

"You don't understand the hell that this was. I was _alone_, Christian. Alone in a world I knew that I didn't truly belong in. I had control of the game, well to a certain degree I guess, and I did what I thought would help me be happy. After a certain point, I realized the events would just keep happening _over and over again_."

She stared in silence once again. Tears once again took claim of her cheeks but she didn't bother wiping them. I softly grabbed her chin and turned her face to mine. Her emerald eyes glowed in the moonlight, sparkling from her tears. She sniffled and stared into my eyes. I saw her expression soften after looking at me.

"Monika.." I say softly. I cup her head in my hands and use my thumbs to wipe away her flowing tears. I feel her head lean into my hands for comfort. I pulled her face in and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss spread warmth throughout my body, which was a nice contrast to the cold air that surrounded us.

I pulled away and stared into her eyes. "Can I tell you something?"

She lightly nodded, not taking her eyes off me.

"I love you." '_Um? Where the fuck did that come from?'_ I tell myself. Maybe it's because of how she looked, how dire everything was, or the emotional high I had from earlier but I wanted to make her feel better. Why did I tell her I love her? Well, I'd like to say that I just made it up on the spot to calm her but something in me was telling me that maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic who falls easily. Either way, I think it worked.

Her body fell into mine and I wrapped my arms around her. She began sobbing into my chest uncontrollable. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, trying to calm her.

"Christian, I promise I did what I did because *hic* It was wh-what I thought was b-best at the time." She stammered out. I squeezed her tight, partially to comfort her and partially because it was _really _cold without a jacket.

"Monika, take a deep breath, love," I whisper to her. I do a show of inhaling deep and exhaling, making sure she does the same. She take some breaths and I feel her slowly regaining her composure.

"Listen, I want you to understand something." I start telling her. "Sure, the circumstances are dire, and this isn't exactly a happy go-lucky scenario. But I don't hate you for anything. Especially now. It's clear you just want to live your life, especially given how it's way more real than before. I'm not going to fault you for that."

She looks up at me with sadness. "I don't want you to push me away. I brought you into this world, was finally able to feel you and feel true love, but it seems to have the same problems with the girls, if not worse. Now you're stuck to re-live them. I'm so _stupid_, I brought you more pain than I originally thought I could." She faltered, her voice threatening a breakdown.

I squeeze her. "Monika, shut your cute ass mouth. I won't push you away. I _can't _push you away. You did what you thought at the time was best. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty, so don't beat yourself up. The only thing I ask is that you help me."

She looks into my eyes and sighs. "Help you with what?"

"Well, the girls clearly are fucked up. I don't remember how the game went but… I want to help them. I want to _fix _them. As much as I can anyways."

She stared at me but I could tell her gears were turning in her head.

"How….?" She asked me.

"Honestly I have no _damn _clue. Sayori is already showing signs of super duper depression and I can tell Yuri already finger blasts herself to me-" Monika pinches my arm. "-Ouch! Hey, I was just kidding! At any rate, I just want to befriend them all the best I can. Unfortunately, it was a romance game so they probably expect me to want each of them.."

We fall silent for a second like we were both thinking.

"Do you still have access to the game? Or like code or something?" I ask her.

She audibly sighs and closes her eyes for a few moments.

"I'm not sure. It always used to be at my fingertips but now its…different. Like we've stated before, this is like reality."

She had frustration in her voice. I gently stroked her back in reassurance.

"What else could we do? I mean I could just try to be friends with everyone and share my time equally so no one feels left out." I offer. I'm not exactly sure how easy or hard that would be but I can try.

She sighs and grips my chest. "I guess that can be a start. But if you think I'm going to sit back and let you get close to the other girls.." She turns her head up to meet mine. "You got another thing coming, mister."

I chuckle and kiss her forehead. "I feel like I'm going to have my hands full for awhile…" I tell her.

I gaze over the snow-fallen earth around us. As beautiful as it was, it literally felt like my soul was freezing.

"Er-Monika, do you want to….like get somewhere warm?" I ask her.

She locks her eyes with mine. "Sure, but you know we live in separate directions.." She says.

I sigh and avert my gaze. She grabs my chin to look at her. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

I felt my mouth creep into a smile. Apparently that was enough of an answer for her because she swarmed my face with kisses and abruptly yanked me to my feet and we took off for my house.

…

I finish throwing on a t-shirt as I take a peek at my phone. "**10:22**". At least it wasn't _too _terribly late. I placed my phone on my nightstand and heard Monika impatiently clear her throat.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come love me?" She says, a smirk on her lips and a teasing look in her eye.

She's wearing one of my shirts, an over-sized one at that which looked adorable on her, and no bottoms but her underwear. '_I could get used to this'_ I joke to myself as I roll my eyes on her and crawl into my bed.

She latches onto my chest and sends a barrage of cherry-scented kisses all over my face. I squeeze her sides to retaliate, causing her to screech and squirm, apparently very ticklish to the touch. I keep my death grip on her and now she's laughing uncontrollably. I end up sitting on top of her before she starts tapping on my chest.

"Okay, okay Christian you win, please let go." She pants at me, catching her breath. I just smirk down at her and laugh.

"Looks like I found a weakness, that I will _one hundred percent _exploit to maintain ultimate dominance." I tease down at her.

She fake pouts and crosses her arms. "That's no fair. You big 'ol ass face." I laugh at her poor choice of words and look down at her. She bites her lip and eyes me up and down.

"You know, Christian.." She starts, lightly palming my waist. "If you want to maintain _ultimate dominance_, there's definitely one way you can do that…" She slips her fingertips into my waistband.

I felt the familiar arousal from before fire up within me as I look down at my goddess.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be my dear?" I tease her.

She grips my waistband and looks me in the eyes.

"Take off your pants. _Now_."


	6. Intimacy (Edited)

**A/N **– Hey guys! Hope you're enjoying the story so far, literally still just having a few ideas and a clear understanding on where I want this to go while mostly winging it. This chapter kinda has some um, I don't remember what the hell the term is called but _smut? _Either way there's some sexual stuff in the chapter so I kind of have an edited version and an uncut version (This one being the edited one) just in case it's weird or uncomfortable. First time kind of writing the stuff so yeah! Anyways, please enjoy:)

….

"-Call now and you'll get not one, but _two _turbo froster freezie packs!"

I look up from my phone to see some lame commercial for a product I feel no one is going to buy. I was lounging in my recliner chair and scrolling through the inter-webs to help decompress.

Today was a mentally straining day from start to finish. Sayori, Yuri and Monika….so much stuff that just taxed my mind. I immediately crashed onto my recliner upon entering my home and haven't moved in a few hours.

I wasn't hungry. I wasn't thirsty. I just felt drained. Part of me wanted to shower or take a bath and go lay down but I knew I wouldn't fall asleep even if I wanted. Or hell, I was _scared _to sleep. Nightmares kind of give you a phobia to sleep.

I got tired of hearing the television in the background so I dug out some headphones from my pocket (I seem to have a healthy supply) and plugged them into my phone. I found a playlist that said "In the Feels" and felt like it was appropriate. Didn't recognize any of the songs or artists but the nice rock tunes eased my mind. I put my phone down and zoned out staring at the ceiling.

"**I don't want to know it's over, so save your goodbye kiss. I don't wanna kno- BZZT BZZT!"**

I glance down and see that someone messaged me. I pick up my phone and unlock it to read it. I open up the social media messenger that I used the other night (apparently I don't have anyone's number but Sayori's and some pizza place) and find out it was from Monika. My heart skipped a beat until I scolded it for acting so rashly and read the message.

**M: "Hey, you."**

** C: "Hey Monika, what's up?"**

I glance at the TV and notice an info-mercial for some nice-looking boots until I'm distracted by my phone.

**M: "Well, I was going to call you and realized I didn't have your number!"**

** C: "Yeah I don't know why but I have like no people in my contacts….is that my cue to give you my digits?"** I respond to her.

**M: "Yes pleaseeee! ****"**

I exchange my number and my phone falls silent again. A few minutes and nothing happens so I just go back to enjoying my music.

Right as I pick a song, my phone starts to buzz. I see a caller ID I don't recognize and assume it's Monika. '_Sure hope I'm right_'

I answer and try to sound as dangerous as I can. "Um…Hello?"

I hear a soft giggle from the other side of the phone.

"Wow, are you trying to sound manlier or something?"

I laugh to myself and respond. "Well, yeah. I didn't know who it was!"

"You _literally _just gave me your number! Who else would call you? I know you don't know _that _many people!" She teases.

"Hey now, I'll have you know that I've had info-mercials on for the past hour or so and there was a pair of heavy-duty boots that looked rad. They could've sensed my curiosity or something!"

She laughs her cute ass laugh. "Well I'm glad you mentioned that because for the low-low price of 45.99$ you can purchase these heavy-duty boots for FREE!" She lowers her voice and tries to sound like a commercial spokesman and fails horribly.

I bust out laughing. "Oh, shut up doofus." I catch my breath and sigh.

"What are you doing my dear?" She asks me. Her voice is chirpy and slightly higher on the phone then usual but that doesn't deter her from still sounding cute. '_Wait, no. Not cute! Not cute!'_

"Nothing much, just listening to music and decompressing." I respond while looking at the ceiling.

"Mhm I see. Very interesting and productive." She responds.

I chuckle and scold her. "Oh shush, like you're doing anything _better."_

"I'll have you know I've been cleaning my house, doing homework and working on stuff for club. So yes I _have _been! And don't you roll your eyes at me!"

I try not to laugh as I literally just rolled my eyes and was trying to figure out what kind of magic powers she possessed.

"Anywaysss.." She says coyly. "Do you want to meet up?"

I sit up in my chair. "Meet up?"

I can hear her pause for a second before responding. "Yeah, you know like hang out.." She pauses again. "I can come over…"

I sigh and close my eyes to think. '_Monika wants to come over…and the sun is almost down….shit just to hang out, right? Like nothing else will happen…right?'_

I guess I zoned out talking to myself because Monika clears her throat on her end of the phone. "Christian? Are you there?" she nervously says.

"Oh shi-yeah, yeah I'm here. Sorry I was just thinking. I um….I don't see a problem with you coming over.." I tell her.

"Really? Okay, okay I'll be over in like…..10 minutes!" Her voices practically screams in excitement and she hangs up.

'_Oh lord what did I just get myself into..' _I sigh to myself as I glance around my house. It's still in order but there are some things lying out of place, like a book or two and some trash.

I get up and start cleaning up my house to prepare for my gorgeous guest that's coming over on a Thursday evening.

….

I was washing my hands at the sink when I heard my door knock. I sigh and dry off my hands and walk to my door to open it. When I swing the entrance open, I'm acquainted with the green-eyed goddess herself.

"Hey, Christian." She says to me, smiling.

I bashfully smile and step aside. "Hey, come on in."

She skips on in and makes herself at home. She kicked her shoes against the mat on the ground to remove the snow that built up from her walk over. Her black trench coat she had on was taken off and hung on the coat rack, revealing a red and black long sleeve flannel shirt and some tight fighting jeans. I felt myself just staring in awe. She looked fucking _incredible_. I don't know how she knew my favorite colors _and _my love for button shirts on a lady but apparently she can read minds. Like she seriously must have some sort of magical prowess.

She twirls and takes a seat on one of the stools in the kitchen. "Like what you see, cutie?"

I cough and try to act like I was putting away her coat and failing miserably. She laughed heartily. "It's okay, I _love _it when you stare at me." She says seductively and winks. '_Good lord tonight's going to be a doozy'_ I tell myself.

I walk into my kitchen and pull out some juice and a cup. "Look, okay fine I was staring. I just think you look incredible is all." I say this while I have my back to her because I don't think I could bring myself to do it the other way.

I finish pouring the cup and turn to face her. She had her head cupped in her hands with her elbows on the counter and was staring at me, blushing. "Really? I'm glad you actually like it.." She says wistfully.

She stares dreamily at me while I avoid eye contact. "Would you um…want something to drink?"

She nods. "Are you available to drink?"

I groan and tell her no while opening my fridge for her to see if she had a request. She fake pouts and calls for the same juice that I got for myself. I pour her a glass and I sit across from her.

"What made you want to hang out?" I quizzically ask her.

She takes a drink and sets her cup down. "I just wanted to see you. I wanted to get to know you and you have stuff going on right now, so I wanted to keep you company."

I smile slightly and lay my head on my head. "Yeah? You sure it has nothing to do with you coming over to my house at night? Just the two of us?"

She bashfully smiles and avoids eye contact. "Well I mean, _duh_ you're handsome and I would literally _die _to get alone time with you in any and_ every _way buttttt….I really do just want to spend time and relax with your company."

I sigh and finish my drink. "Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate you being here." She blushes as I stand up. "All right then, lets take this party to the couch. To talk! Just to talk!" I quickly throw in before she gets any ideas.

She giggles happily and we make our way to the living area. I sit down on one of the couches and she plops _right _next to me. She throws her legs over mine and lays her head on my shoulder.

"Monika.." I complain.

"Christian….you know how long I've waited for anything like this? Or for you? I just wanted to feel warmth and comfort is all.." She shyly says as her voice trails off.

'_Is she that starved for attention?_' I think to myself.

I sigh and wrap my arm around her to pull her closer to me. Or more accurately, _on _me. She nuzzles her head onto my shoulder/chest and sighs happily.

My eyes sweep across her body as thoughts pop into my head. I never really paid too much attention, but the school uniform doesn't do her any justice. She is _seriously _curvy. Her legs are toned, and I remember hearing her say something about being athletic. I turn my attention to her shirt, which seriously brings out the green in her eyes because of the colors complimenting each other. All her physical beauty is topped off by her cute face and her mesmerizing green eyes, which I just realized I had been staring longing into.

I avert my gaze and look anywhere else, heat rising to my face. She tilts her head and smirks. "Enjoying the view, _hm_? You had such a hungry look in your eyes, it's making me _excited_." She says seductively. She wiggles her ass in my lap and at this point I'm dying of embarrassment and slight arousal.

"Sorry Monika, I literally just got distracted is all.." I stammer out. She does one last, drawn out wiggle in my lap and turns her face to mine. I feel her breath on my neck and I get goosebumps.

"You can do more than _look_, you know…" She whispers onto my neck, and slowly grazes my chest with her hand, lightly grasping at my shirt. Her breathing became shallow and I felt her lips gently land on my neck.

I nervously swallow and try to concentrate on anything else.

She moved her mouth slowly up to my ear. Her breathing was slow but had the intensity of a typhoon. Feeling her breath and _hearing _it in my ear was doing things to me that I really wish wasn't happening. She lightly nibbled on my earlobe and I felt her tongue graze my skin.

My body shuddered and I tried to keep my composure. The room was becoming increasingly hot. I heard her inhale and I closed my eyes.

"Christian…" She whispered delicately into my ear. Her voice was bleeding with lust and desire.

I sat there with my hands limp at my side, unaware of what to do with them. Her hand that was on my shirt lost its grip and began to drift down my body. When I realized where she was going, my hand snapped up and grabbed her wrist.

I felt her mouth twist into a smirk and she nibbled on my ear again. "What's the matter? Getting _excited _my love_?"_

My mind was exploding. I couldn't concentrate on anything. My mind was cluttered with hundreds of thoughts but there was only one thing that was certain that I couldn't deny; my desire for Monika.

I opened my eyes and looked down into her emerald orbs. They were filled with lust and love, like I was the single most thing that mattered to her the most at that moment. It was in this moment that I told myself that I wasn't going to fight anymore. Was it love? I had no fucking clue, but whatever the emotion is, Monika is the sole reason.

I brought a hand up under her chin and lightly pushed her face up to mine. Her eyes became half glazed and her lips were parting gently. I closed my eyes and dipped my head down, pushing my lips to hers and closing the gap between us.

The feeling was _insane. _My whole body got a wash of warmth from head to toe, seeping into my bones and soul. My mind blanked and all I could feel is Monika. Her lips were soft and warm, and I could feel her body falling into the kiss gently. She moaned softly as I wrapped my arms around her and reciprocated.

I broke the kiss and open my eyes. Remnants of cherry still lingered on my lips. Her breathing was haggard and low. Her eyes were half-lidded, and she had a blush on her face. I took a big breath and tried to process what just happened. I cleared my throat and attempted to speak.

"Monika…I think I have a confession."

She smirks and sits up, repositioning herself on to my lap, straddling me. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls herself fully onto me, squeezing her breast onto mine.

"You do? And what that might be, Christian?" See says to me seductively while keeping eye contact, her smirk never fading. She slowly grinded her hips on mine and was making it _very_ hard to concentrate.

I grab her sides and she hums happily to my touch while I take a breath so I can speak with a rational thought. "Um, so…..remember when like you were all '_Christian I love you, you're the best thing ever_' and I'm all '_Oh geez that's nice but I'm fucked up_' and blah blah?"

She laughs at my stupid re-enactment of our conversation. "Yes Christian, I do. What about it?" She pulls one of my hands up and kisses is tenderly before placing it to its former position.

"Well, I'm sitting here, and you're on my lap and stuff and like, I don't know what's happening but you're all like beautiful and stuff and just like existing near me and you make it hard to think properly and straight and also you just help calm my mind in the hell that is my imagination and like I just can't fight this feeling that I've known you forever or something…" I just ramble on before she places a finger to my lips and giggles.

She grinds her hips on my lap again to elicit a response and I groan softly to myself. "Yes Christian, I'm in love with you too."

I blush and look away. She places her warm hand on my face and pulls it to look at her again. She has a warm smile on her face.

"Don't be embarrassed my love. It's all I've wanted. And to know I help you, it makes me really happy."

She runs her hand down to my chest and lets it idle there. I bring my hand up to hers and squeeze it.

"Yeah well, I don't know, it definitely is a nice feeling. So um, I'll try not to be _too _prideful and just accept that you're irresistible."

Her face flushes and has a look of desire replace her gentle look. "Irresistible, hm?" She brings her hands down and dangerously lingers at my sweat's waistband. I feel my arousal spike again and my heart starts pounding. I can tell that she knows what she's doing to me and she's enjoying _every minute of it_.

"Christian.." She says lowly.

"Yes..?" I respond, uncertainty hinting in my voice.

She leaned in closer to me, pressing her body to mine, and whispered "I'm all yours."

…

The euphoria from the experience began to fade as I controlled my breathing. I propped myself up to look at my lover, who had her eyes closed and her hands grasping at her heart.

I leaned up and kissed her forehead. "Hey there sweetheart, you doing okay?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she landed them on mine. A smile spread across her face and she reached a hand up to stroke my cheek.

"Christian that was _incredible_! It felt so good and It was everything I could have ever wished for." She ran her fingers along my cheek and stared longingly into my eyes.

I sighed and grinned without realizing it. Her smile turned into a smirk.

"What's got _you_ so smiley? Hm? Does loving me feel amazing?" She teased me while running kisses up and down my arm. I smirked and stole her lips in a kiss.

"Maybe…just a bit!" I tell her. She fake pouted and crossed her arms.

"Only a little bit? I guess I'm not good enough after all…" She replies.

I rolled my eyes playfully and kissed her cheek. "Just kidding, just kidding.."

I sat up and got off the couch. I grabbed my pair of sweats and threw them on so I wasn't _completely _nude off my ass. She picked up my shirt to throw on but complained about not wanting to wear her jeans. I ran up to my room to grab myself a clean shirt and her an extra pair of sweats I had so she could be comfortable.

I gave her the pants and she threw them on, looking extra cute garbed up in my clothes. We plopped our asses on my couch and she snuggled up to me, sighing happily. I turned on the television and laid my head back on the couch.

"Soo.." Monika says, breaking the silence between us. "Are we a couple?" She started kissing my cheek repeatedly, cause me to chuckle and keep my face as far as I can while she sat in my lap.

"I mean, I dunno, I guess so. It's still all so weird and I don't want to do anything too crazy or fast.." I responded.

I look at her and she had her eyebrows furrowed but held a smirk.

"Christian, you do realize we literally just had sex, right?" She tells me.

"Well I mean yeah, but-" I tried saying but she interrupts me.

"No buts! I'm not talking about getting married right now, you _doofus!_" She poked my cheek while name-calling. "I just need to know that after this you aren't just going to go back to pushing me aside and avoiding me."

I looked at her face and understood what she meant. She was the only one in a world she was stuck in and was luckily enough to have me come into her life and reciprocate her love. She was scared I would use her or just leave when I was done. Which I was _not _about.

I leaned over and stole her lips in a kiss. "Monika, you literally forced my love to overtake my pride. I'm not going anywhere."

She giggled and blushed and grabbed my face again for a kiss. I felt her smile form on my lips and she pulled away. "You know..."

I looked for her to finish but she innocently looked everywhere but me, baiting me to ask.

"I know…what?" I ask. She leaned her head on my shoulder and held my hand in her own, looking it over like she was inspecting it.

"Since we're together now….we don't hide things, right?" She asks me, kissing my palm.

"I mean, I would assume not." I reply, uncertain on where she was going with the conversation.

"So…..you mentioned in the club that you had some stuff plaguing you….can you share them with me?"

I hesitate. It's not exactly the best thing that has been on my mind. I could barely bring it up to Sayori, who legitimately has depression. I don't know if I could tell everything to my new lover.

She squeezed my hand and draws my gaze. Her eyes have love, yes, but also an overwhelming sense of concern.

"Christian…please." She tells me, her voice slightly shaking.

I lean over and place a kiss on her forehead. She relaxes her head on my shoulder and runs her finger over in my palm.

"I don't even know where to start.." I begin.

She kisses my palm. "It's okay my love. Take your time."

I sigh and kiss her head. _'Jesus I think I actually do love this girl.' _I tell myself. She does make everything much easier with her compassion.

"Well, I've been having nightmares about the club girls." I start. She doesn't say anything so feel its safe to continue.

"I don't know why, or what's triggering them, but I've just had such _lucid _dreams about the girls. Well, more specifically Sayori and Yuri."

She sits there silent. Her head is on my shoulder so I can't exactly see her expression.

"Do you remember the details of the dreams?" She says, her voice guarded.

I clear my throat before continuing. "Er-yeah, it was pretty real. The first one I had was from Sayori. I actually had it right before your first visit, the night of the first day that I don't remember anything."

I pause to see if she had any input before continuing. "It was weird. I was in darkness, like no specific place or setting, just what I assume was the dream world. There was a gravely, sinister voice and it seemed like it was taunting me. Telling me I can't save anyone or I will fail, stuff like that. After a few of his lines, it's like I could see a scene but I was there. I saw someone hanging and then the body started _speaking_ to me. I could recognize the voice but couldn't place it. Then, the body looked at me and I realized it was Sayori. She was saying I killed her. That's when I woke up."

She turned her head up to me and kissed my chin. The air seemed much more serious than it had before and it concerned me. She didn't really make any particular comment though, just insisted me to continue in a flat tone.

"Well, the Yuri dream was the most recent one. It happened last night. We were in the clubroom and it was dusk, so I assume that the setting was after school. The same sinister voice was taunting me, and it was just me and Yuri. She looked the same but was much more…..assertive. She kept saying things about her love for me, which normally if a pretty girl was saying she loved you would be cool but her body language and demeanor clearly shown that she had something wrong. But when she asked if I felt the same, I was finally able to say no. She then stabbed herself to death in front of me, saying that I killed her or that we can be together forever or someshit. That was that dream too."

I finish with a sigh, mostly because I hated having to recall them. It for some reason drained me mentally.

Monika seemed to shake in my lap. I placed a kiss on head. "Monika? What are your thoughts, baby?"

She takes a shakey breath and turns her face to mine.

"Christian…..those dreams are like the game."

I must've had a quizzical look on my face because I didn't even need to respond for her to continue.

"In the original game, each of the girls had a problem. Sayori had depression, Yuri was prone to self-harm, and Natsuki had an abusive father and was malnourished. During the course of the game, their traits would be amplified. For example, Sayori's depression would be increased and she….committed suicide. Yuri's obsessive quality was increased ten-fold and she pretty much prevented everyone else in the club from making contact to you so she could have you to herself." She finished her sentence and took a shaky breath.

"What amplified their traits?" I ask Monika. She flinched like someone yelled or raise a fist at her. She looked up at me but remained quiet.

"Monika…" I asked, pouring more concern and assertiveness into my tone. "I've been being haunted with these dreams, tell me what happened."

Tears started to fall from her face. Clearly concerned, I wiped the first few away.

"Christian…do you remember when I told you that you were the protagonist in a romance game and all the girls had like…chances with you but me?"

I simply nodded my head.

"Well, because I was self-aware of the game, I had certain privileges and could access the games code. Because it was _just a game, _I was obviously upset that I was the only one that could understand love and didn't get it.." She faltered and looked at me nervously before continuing. "..so I kind of altered the girls in the game to make them less appealing to you so you could be with me. But that backfired and everything went haywire anyways."

She finished and looked at me, awaiting a response. I just stared pensively at the wall straight ahead and processed what she said.

"So…" I say, my tone stern. "You, in the game, made all the girls faults increase which made them become extremely fucked up and commit suicide, and that probably has something to do with my nightmares?"

She softly nods her head. I scooch her off my lap, onto the couch and I stand up.

"Monika, you were _jealous_ for something that a player had no control over, so you amplified the girls negative qualities which led to catastrophic casualties just so you can get love?" I said in disbelief.

She avoided eye contact. I could see the tears pouring from her face.

"They weren't _real, _were just scripts-" She starts but I cut her off.

"Monika! Do you hear yourself? You're justifying killing these girls because they 'weren't real', but then you drag me out of my own life into this world, where it becomes _completely real_, and I am stuck with these nightmares of the girls becoming completely insane, which may or may not be influencing how they _actually_ act now because this may still be a game?"

My voice came out hoarse and assertive, almost a half yell. She flinched at my words.

"Christian, there's no way this can be like the game, it's just so _real _now.." She stutters out, her eyes darting all around the room.

"Do you remember day one of my experience in the club? With Yuri and Natsuki fighting? You seemed _very _aware that it was a bad situation. And what about Yuri's weird behavior today?" At this point, I was pacing around the room, but keeping my stern tone. "Now knowing she has obsessive qualities, I can one hundred percent believe that the same instances are occurring! And Sayori!"

I practically yelled Sayori's name at Monika. She just looked at me with the face of a lost puppy, unable to stop the onslaught of tears raining from her eyes.

"All she did today was be distant! She was quiet, kept to herself, and when we walked home she _literally _told me that she wishes she could disappear! The same events are happening Monika!"

I stand there, ten feet away from her, shaking where I stood. Monika's gaze was dead set on the ground.

She abruptly stood up and made her way to my front door, grabbing her trench coat in the process.

"Monika.." I start but she already was throwing her second arm into her sleeve and opening the door. She walked out without a word.

I quickly slide my feet into a pair of sneakers that were sitting by the door and take off after her.

The sun had gone completely down and the only illumination was from streetlights littered throughout the roads and the moon that had a soft glow with it. Monika must've started running because she was nowhere in sight.

My adrenaline kicked in and I took off running, following the footsteps that Monika left.

The air was cold. It bit into my skin and I had no protection because I left my jacket at my house. All I could hear was the sounds of my tired breaths from running and the crunching of snow beneath my feet. My adrenaline was wearing off and I was becoming for anxious. I didn't want to leave Monika alone out here in the cold.

After following the tracks for ten minutes, I realized they led to the park that I went to the other night when I went for a stroll. I walked the path towards the playground equipment and saw a figure, sitting on the steps of a jungle gym. As I approached, I confirmed it was Monika.

I walked up next to her quietly (well, as quiet as I can with the fucking loud crunching of the snow) and sat next to her. There was snow on the steps so when I sat down, my ass was immediately greeted with the cold embrace of the cold precipitation.

There was silence between us. There was no breeze tonight so the air was still. The ground was a beautiful shade of white, twinkling in the soft glow from the moonlight.

"I had no choice, you know." Monika states out of the quiet. I turn to look at her. She had a hardened stare, fixated in front of her. "As much as I knew what was going on, I still was bound to the code and how the game played out."

Her voice cracked as she talked, like any moment she could break down.

"You don't understand the hell that this was. I was _alone_, Christian. Alone in a world I knew that I didn't truly belong in. I had control of the game, well to a certain degree I guess, and I did what I thought would help me be happy. After a certain point, I realized the events would just keep happening _over and over again_."

She stared in silence once again. Tears once again took claim of her cheeks but she didn't bother wiping them. I softly grabbed her chin and turned her face to mine. Her emerald eyes glowed in the moonlight, sparkling from her tears. She sniffled and stared into my eyes. I saw her expression soften after looking at me.

"Monika.." I say softly. I cup her head in my hands and use my thumbs to wipe away her flowing tears. I feel her head lean into my hands for comfort. I pulled her face in and pressed my lips to hers. The kiss spread warmth throughout my body, which was a nice contrast to the cold air that surrounded us.

I pulled away and stared into her eyes. "Can I tell you something?"

She lightly nodded, not taking her eyes off me.

"I love you." '_Um? Where the fuck did that come from?'_ I tell myself. Maybe it's because of how she looked, how dire everything was, or the emotional high I had from earlier but I wanted to make her feel better. Why did I tell her I love her? Well, I'd like to say that I just made it up on the spot to calm her but something in me was telling me that maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic who falls easily. Either way, I think it worked.

Her body fell into mine and I wrapped my arms around her. She began sobbing into my chest uncontrollable. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head, trying to calm her.

"Christian, I promise I did what I did because *hic* It was wh-what I thought was b-best at the time." She stammered out. I squeezed her tight, partially to comfort her and partially because it was _really _cold without a jacket.

"Monika, take a deep breath, love," I whisper to her. I do a show of inhaling deep and exhaling, making sure she does the same. She take some breaths and I feel her slowly regaining her composure.

"Listen, I want you to understand something." I start telling her. "Sure, the circumstances are dire, and this isn't exactly a happy go-lucky scenario. But I don't hate you for anything. Especially now. It's clear you just want to live your life, especially given how it's way more real than before. I'm not going to fault you for that."

She looks up at me with sadness. "I don't want you to push me away. I brought you into this world, was finally able to feel you and feel true love, but it seems to have the same problems with the girls, if not worse. Now you're stuck to re-live them. I'm so _stupid_, I brought you more pain than I originally thought I could." She faltered, her voice threatening a breakdown.

I squeeze her. "Monika, shut your cute ass mouth. I won't push you away. I _can't _push you away. You did what you thought at the time was best. Hindsight is always twenty-twenty, so don't beat yourself up. The only thing I ask is that you help me."

She looks into my eyes and sighs. "Help you with what?"

"Well, the girls clearly are fucked up. I don't remember how the game went but… I want to help them. I want to _fix _them. As much as I can anyways."

She stared at me but I could tell her gears were turning in her head.

"How….?" She asked me.

"Honestly I have no _damn _clue. Sayori is already showing signs of super duper depression and I can tell Yuri already finger blasts herself to me-" Monika pinches my arm. "-Ouch! Hey, I was just kidding! At any rate, I just want to befriend them all the best I can. Unfortunately, it was a romance game so they probably expect me to want each of them.."

We fall silent for a second like we were both thinking.

"Do you still have access to the game? Or like code or something?" I ask her.

She audibly sighs and closes her eyes for a few moments.

"I'm not sure. It always used to be at my fingertips but now its…different. Like we've stated before, this is like reality."

She had frustration in her voice. I gently stroked her back in reassurance.

"What else could we do? I mean I could just try to be friends with everyone and share my time equally so no one feels left out." I offer. I'm not exactly sure how easy or hard that would be but I can try.

She sighs and grips my chest. "I guess that can be a start. But if you think I'm going to sit back and let you get close to the other girls.." She turns her head up to meet mine. "You got another thing coming, mister."

I chuckle and kiss her forehead. "I feel like I'm going to have my hands full for awhile…" I tell her.

I gaze over the snow-fallen earth around us. As beautiful as it was, it literally felt like my soul was freezing.

"Er-Monika, do you want to….like get somewhere warm?" I ask her.

She locks her eyes with mine. "Sure, but you know we live in separate directions.." She says.

I sigh and avert my gaze. She grabs my chin to look at her. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

I felt my mouth creep into a smile. Apparently that was enough of an answer for her because she swarmed my face with kisses and abruptly yanked me to my feet and we took off for my house.

…

I finish throwing on a t-shirt as I take a peek at my phone. "**10:22**". At least it wasn't _too _terribly late. I placed my phone on my nightstand and heard Monika impatiently clear her throat.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come love me?" She says, a smirk on her lips and a teasing look in her eye.

She's wearing one of my shirts, an over-sized one at that which looked adorable on her, and no bottoms but her underwear. '_I could get used to this'_ I joke to myself as I roll my eyes on her and crawl into my bed.

She latches onto my chest and sends a barrage of cherry-scented kisses all over my face. I squeeze her sides to retaliate, causing her to screech and squirm, apparently very ticklish to the touch. I keep my death grip on her and now she's laughing uncontrollably. I end up sitting on top of her before she starts tapping on my chest.

"Okay, okay Christian you win, please let go." She pants at me, catching her breath. I just smirk down at her and laugh.

"Looks like I found a weakness, that I will _one hundred percent _exploit to maintain ultimate dominance." I tease down at her.

She fake pouts and crosses her arms. "That's no fair. You big 'ol ass face." I laugh at her poor choice of words and look down at her. She bites her lip and eyes me up and down.

"You know, Christian.." She starts, lightly palming my waist. "If you want to maintain _ultimate dominance_, there's definitely one way you can do that…" She slips her fingertips into my waistband.

I felt the familiar arousal from before fire up within me as I look down at my goddess.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be my dear?" I tease her.

She grips my waistband and looks me in the eyes.

"Take off your pants. _Now_."


	7. Connected Dreamscape

**A/N: **So, around this time of writing, the story started to stray a tad from how it originally started, or how the original tone was. Like I said, I usually have a goal, or have it in mind on what each chapter has in it or how I want it to end but I mostly wing it. That being said, it started going a direction that was a tad different than the first few chapters so yeah! I hope you enjoy. :)

….

** "Your resistance is futile"**

An all too familiar voice taunts me. Once again, I'm thrust into absolute darkness, with no frame of reference on what the current setting is.

** "She trembles in fear, hides her abuse and insecurities with aggressiveness"**

For the first time in these dreams, I find my voice.

"Hey! Shut the _fuck_ up! Who exactly are you?" My voice, as much as I tried to have confidence, still leaked uncertainty and fear.

The voice chuckles sinisterly.

** "You will know in time. For now, stand powerless against inevitable odds and cower in fear. You have no strength here."**

I feel the presence of the voice dissipate, and I am greeted to a scene.

I seem to be in a house. I'm at the base of grey carpeted steps. I gaze around to see if I can recognize anything. Countless alcoholic bottles and cans littered the tile and carpeted floors, trailing from what I could only assume was a kitchen and past me, up the stairs.

The only light that seems to be emanating came from upstairs. I stand motionless until I hear a _crash _from the top of the stairs and some whimpers.

Reluctantly, I make my way up. My legs felt like Jell-O, so holding onto the guardrail was a must for me. As I rounded the top of the steps, I saw a pink door that was barely cracked open. The trail of bottles and cans piled around the door and the smell of alcohol stung my nostrils.

As I neared the door, I heard voices and cries.

"Father, please! I promise I'll make it just like you want next time!" I hear a girl's voice cry out. "There just wasn't a lot of ingredients lying around and-"

Her voice was abruptly cut off from a gruff male voice.

"Shut your _fucking_ mouth! Did I ask for fucking excuses from your pathetic mouth? _No!_ I asked for dinner to be fucking made and for dishes to be washed! Is that so hard to do? Huh? I provide you with a home and a bed and this is how you fucking respect me?"

I hear the girl whimper and sniffle behind sobs.

"I-I know, father. I'll get home _extra _early tomorrow and finish everything before-" Her voice was cut off as I heard a _smack_ followed by her voice crying out.

"Speaking without being told to? Do you know nothing, whore?" I heard the male say.

I open the door into a room with walls that were pink, flowered decorations littered all over from top to bottom. Straight ahead was a window, with a small twin bed directly in front of it. The door quietly shut behind me. The beer bottles and cans from the halls led up to the feet of a man.

He stood half a foot over me, easy. He stood in place with a bottle in hand. Well not exactly standing, more like _swaying_, as he was clearly intoxicated.

At his feet, a girl who looked small and timid, especially in comparison to the grown man who towered over her, was laying defenseless on the floor. Her neck-long pink hair was covering her eyes and her cheeks were stained with tears. She had a bright-red hand mark printed on her right cheek, and visible bruises that colored her arms and legs. I even got a hint of one from one side of her shirt riding up.

As I ascertained the situation, anger flowed throw my limbs.

"Natsuki..?" I say, but I was snuffed out by the man yelling once more.

"You are so _damn _pathetic! If I would've known you would be like this when your whore mother left, I would've been better off throwing you out in the street to fend for yourself! It's where you belong anyways!"

He pulled a full beer can out of his pocket and chucked it at Natsuki. It hit her abdomen with reasonable force, causing her to cry out and whimper, balling up in the fetal position on the floor.

"I need more beer, you fucking brat." The man says.

"_Hey! _Motherfucker!" I yell out loud, surprising everyone in the room, me included.

The gruff man turns around, a crazed look in his eye.

"Who in the _fuck _are you?" He says, balling up his fist.

My eyes dart down to Natsuki, who makes eye contact with me. Her stained-red eyes opened wide, and she sat there speechless and I knew she recognized me. Which to me was weird because wasn't this supposed to be a nightmare?

Before I could ponder, the man shoulder charged me, pinning me against the door with a rough hand against my throat. My hands gripped his wrists and I grunted, trying to steady my breathing.

He bore down his eyes on me like a predator stalking his prey. He took a whiff of the air around me like he was smelling for fear, which honestly was probably in healthy supply at this moment.

"Maybe you didn't hear me, runt. _Who the fuck are you and why are you in my house?" _The man growls again. Fear was replaced with anger. I narrowed my eyes at the man.

"That's a damn good question, old man. I got a better one. Why the fuck are you abusing my friend?" I shoot back, struggling against his grip on my throat.

The man swiftly delivers a hit with his beer bottle across my face with his unoccupied hand, pain flaring across my head and sending stars behind my eyes.

"Abuse? _Abuse?_ Who the fuck are you to interfere with my family? It's calling fucking _reprimand_, you prick!" He screams at me, his spit splattering on my face.

He picks me up with the hand that gripped my throat and held me a good few feet above the ground, my feet dangling. His grip on my neck tightened and my vision was started to blur. I felt myself gasping for air and my hands clawing at anything they could.

For a man who was intoxicated, he sure as hell could keep composure when fighting or asserting dominance, which is _scary as hell._

As I struggle against the oversized tyrant, my eyes lower to Natsuki. I see her laying there, mentally broken and quivering from the pain. We lock eyes and I feel a surge of courage flow through me.

My right hand desperately grasps for anything until it lands on the beer bottle the man held in his non-dominant hand. I gripped it and yanked it from his grasp, causing him to momentarily break focus from me to his hand. In a swift move, I swung as hard I could to the man's head with my acquired weapon, the bottle making contact and shattering against his scalp.

His grip faltered and he staggered to the opposite wall. I crumpled to the floor, coughing violently. I crawl across the floor towards Natsuki, who held her hand out and desperately grasped for me. She pulled me to my knees and I tried to calm down my coughing, my neck already raw and sore from the man's strength.

I steady myself on my knee and turn my attention to the man. He was leaning against a dresser that Natsuki had the far side of the room. He gripped his head where the bottle shattered, and I could see hints of blood dripping down.

He looked over at me and Natsuki, his eyes piercing us with malice. He growled in rage, lowering his hand to his side and drunkenly stumbling back on his feet, unsupported by the wall or furniture.

"How dare you strike me? Do you know who I am? I will _kill _you!" He roars at me.

I glance at Natsuki and she lightly clings my shirt, her eyes pleading for help. The way she looked innocent and distraught at my side, grasping at me for assistance, gave me strength. She was the spitting image of a little sister, and that alone gave me the energy to stand up to this tyrant.

I grabbed a bottle that lay on her mattress in one hand and the unopened beer can that assaulted Natsuki from before and stumbled across the room to keep the general direction of attacks away from the small pink-haired baker.

"Listen up, you pathetic _fuck_." I spit at the man. He narrowed his eyes on me like he couldn't believe I was talking to him. "First, I'm going to beat your fucking ass into submission. Second, if I find out you even so much as lay a fucking _finger _on Natsuki ever again, I will personally find you and eternally torment you for as long as you fucking _live!_"

The man roared at me like a bear and charged. As strong and burly as he was, I still had one distinct factor to my advantage. This man was _intoxicated_. As he neared, I side-stepped to my left, bringing down my empty bear bottle with force onto the man's unguarded back as he stumbled past me. The bottle didn't break but landed an audible _thud_.

I centered myself again in a defensive position in the room while the man grasped his back and cried out in pain. She turned around and threw a bottle that he grabbed in my direction. I deflected the bottle painfully with my hand but was immediately knocked back from his fist that was hurled into my abdomen.

I rolled back into the wall, my vision blurred. My gripped my stomach in pain and cried out. "_Shit!" I stammer, _feeling the blow shoot pain throughout my body. The can I held rolled up to my leg.

The man slowly stalked towards me, almost like admiring his prize.

"It's best to stay down, fuckface. You'd going to end up on the ground anyways." He growls out, brandishing a broken beer bottle.

I propped myself on my knee. As I look up at him, he charges with his sharp weapon, ready to strike. I swiftly pick up the can by my foot and hurl it at the man. It strikes him with velocity right on his pelvis, eliciting him to groan in pain and drop to a knee.

I stagger towards him and without warning, bring down a nasty right hook straight to his face. The man flops over on the ground and rolls.

Natsuki, who at this point was sitting with her knees to her chest on her bed, gasped to herself.

The man groaned on the ground as he tried to life himself up, struggling against his drunken weight.

"I'm going to _kill _you." He groans out.

I lightly stagger over to the man, wincing in pain from each step. He looks up at me, his eyes burning with hatred. I clench my fists and stare down at the pitiful display.

"I'm not abusing you, it's called _reprimand." _I say. I bring my right fist down with amazing force, delivering a blow to the mans face. He falls completely limp onto the floor, unconscious.

I was breathing heavy, feeling like my body was weighted. I glance up and see Natsuki still on her bed, huddled up and staring at me.

All the adrenaline wore off from the fight and I was immediately hit with exhaustion. I stumbled to her bed and she reached out to catch me.

I sat down on the edge, fighting back the throbbing sensation that was consuming my body.

She began sobbing into my arm and grasping on to me for dear life. I kept my head up and took deep breaths to stay conscious. I started to become all too aware of the attacks that were inflicted upon me. My side started to ache and my jaw was sore. I tasted iron in my mouth. For a nightmare, this felt _insanely_ realistic.

Natsuki squeezed my side and I winced.

"Oh shit, Christian I forgot!" She stammers out and she lets go quickly.

I put a hand up to show her it's okay.

"Don't worry about it, besides I'd felt worse from Sayori and her hugs." I chuckle and wince at the sudden movement. She lightly smiles before sighing.

"What are you doing here anyways? How did you find me?" She asks me.

I turned my head to her. "Well for one, this is a fucking dream."

She gripped my shoulder. "Yeah, no _shit_, dummy! How are you in my dream!?" She says to me.

I just stared at her, stunned. "Wait, you know this is a fucking dream?!" I ask her.

She simply nods. "Well, sort of. Me and father just had a, well you know, confrontation and I remember passing out in fear. And then here we are." She says this, choking out the last part, which I don't blame her. This is a _terrible _thing to go through.

I wrapped my mind about what she said. '_We're sharing a damn dream? How in the hell…'_ I thought to myself.

I glance down at the unconscious body of her father. He was breathing, but it seemed like he was more sleeping than anything. Probably thanks to the alcohol. I glanced back up at Natsuki until I felt my consciousness slipping away. The look on her face was alarmed as she reached out for me.

"Christian!" I hear her call out as I the room fade to black.

….

"_Wait!"_ I yell as I sat straight up in my bed. My head darted all over my body, examining for injuries or imperfections. I took deep breathes to control my erratic breathing and felt sweat dripping down my face. I immediately was confronted with a sore pain going through my sides. I groan and winced as I held my side, trying to examine for an injury but it was too dark to notice anything.

At that moment, I felt stirring next to me and darted my head over. That when the previous night's events flooded into my head again. "Monika…" I mumble to myself.

She was laying on her side, head on the pillow, her left arm hanging onto my waist. The light shine of the moon through my window light up her face and she looked beautiful.

Of course, she had to stir and awaken at this moment, right when I just had a crazy nightmare that I could actually interact with and feel pain.

Her eyes fluttered open and landed on me. When she saw me sitting up, she slowly sat up and leaned against me, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"H-honey? What's wrong?" She asked, nuzzling her face into my arm.

I sighed and kissed her forehead. "It's nothing, just had another dream is all." I say back.

Her eyes scanned my face. "Another nightmare?" She innocently asks. I simply nod my head. She slightly frowns and kisses my shoulder.

"What was it about this time?" She says. I sigh and relay everything to her. Finding Natsuki being abused by her father, the battle that ensued with the drunken man, and Natsuki knowing we were in a dream. She nodded intently while listening the whole time. Once I finished, she nuzzled harder into me.

"I'm sorry, dove….I'm here to help you through it though." She sleepily says to me. I get the feeling she is still half asleep. I move my shoulder, bring her face to mine and place my lips on hers. I let the warmth flow through my body and comfort me.

I departed and starting to get off the bed. "I'm going to wash my face real quick. I'm sweatier than the gym shorts of Arnold Schwarzenegger."

She pouts and protests the loss of me but I ensure her I'll be back and depart the room.

I get to the bathroom and flick on the light switch. My eyes pinch and adjust to the sudden exposure to light. I sigh and get to the mirror. I splash some water on my face to cool me down. I rotate my body and see a baseball-sized bruise on my body.

'_What the hell?'_ I think to myself. I reluctantly touch the bruise and wince from the pain. '_Why in the hell was that dream so real? Why do I have legit physical injuries?_'

I finish washing myself and return to the room. I have a feeling of unease like nothing I've had before.

I return and see my goddess still laying in bed, barely able to keep herself awake while she waited for me to return.

I lay back in the bed and pull her to me, wrapping my arms around her and her head softly resting on my chest. Pain erupts from her squeezing but I try my best to hide it. She shouldn't have to worry about that at least at this hour. Other than the pain, her holding me helped all the unsurety and anxiety slowly wash away.

She places a kiss on my chest. "Do you feel okay?" I hear her voice say, trying to mask her nervousness.

I interlock my fingers with her and kiss her head. "I am now." I tell her. Yeah, that's right. I'm cheesy and romantic, deal with it.

She nuzzles into me harder and I feel her whole body weight on me as she cuddles as hard as she can. I lay a barrage of kisses to her head and glance at the clock.

"**3:45**" It reads. I sigh happily and mutter to myself, "A few more hours, perfect."

I let myself fall asleep again, not worrying about anything because Monika, my rock, was holding me and keeping me safe when I needed it most.

….

_**"I can see it as you turn to stone, still clearly I can hear you say, don't leave, don't give up on me-"**_

I groan and reach my hand out to slap my phone to turn off the alarm. I give out a big sigh and stretch. I go to sit up and hear some cute pouts coming from a body clutching to my side.

"Monika…" I say.

"No. Five more minutes." She says while pouting, sounding as cute as ever.

I roll my eyes and lean my head near her ear. "If you get up, we can shower together…"

She bolts upright in bed, her emerald eyes wide and a broad grin on her face.

"Together? Naked?" She says excitedly.

I rolled my eyes and got out of bed, scooping her up bridle style. "What other way is there, princess?" I tease her as I head to the bathroom. She lays a barrage of kisses on my chest and holds on as we go to clean up.

The warm water hits us and sets the room all steamy. She looked gorgeous, wet from the water and having her hair cling to her body. She must've noticed me looking in between scrubbing because a devilish grin appeared on her face. She stepped forward and clung to me, pressing her chest up against me.

"You know that I love it when you stare at me…" She whispers seductively at me. I clear my throat and try to hide my embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I just got lost in thought-" She silences me with a kiss.

She pulls away and her eyes stare at me with utmost lust.

'_Good lord this girl has a crazy sex drive!' _I think to myself. As if reading my thoughts she pounces on me, pushing me against the shower wall and delivering feverish kisses against my face and body. She wrapped her arms around me and I subconsciously wince.

Her lustful gaze fades to concern. "Christian, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Monika, it just tickled." I try to say and fake laugh but she knew all too well. She scanned my body until she saw the baseball sized wound on my side.

She carefully rubbed her fingers along it and I winced from the touch. She looked up into my eyes and I saw a tear stroll down her cheek.

"Please don't worry I'll be fine-" I try to say but her face suddenly radiated anger.

"When did this happen?" She shot at me.

I step back slightly (as far as I could because I was already up against the wall) shocked that she raised her voice that way.

"Er-well…" I thought about lying but her stare scared me into being honest. "I think it's from the dream I had."

She sternly looked at me. Without saying a word, she demanded that I tell her more. Jesus, I love that she cares so much does she have to be this assertive?

"Don't you remember the dream I told you about earlier?" I tell her, trying to see if I can turn the tables on her. Unfortunately, that didn't work.

"I was _half-asleep_, Christian! I remember you having a dream but I don't remember you being _injured_" She says at me. Her eyes radiated pain and I knew she was only coming off as hostile because she was scared for my well-being. Quite frankly, so was I.

I sighed and looked her in the eyes and recounted my dream. After I finished, she looked down at my wound again. The only sound that could be heard was the water falling against the tub around us. Her eyes were piercing my bruise, scanning the rest of my body for other wounds.

She leaned down and kissed my bruise. I contained myself from wincing, so she didn't get startled. When I looked into her eyes, the stern look she harbored was fighting fear. I grabbed her face and placed a kiss upon her forehead.

"Don't worry, little dove. I will figure this out in time but for now, let us enjoy our morning together."

She reluctantly agreed and we continued our morning. The shower ended shortly after, where we finished cleaning ourselves up and getting dressed and getting breakfast.

I was throwing on my shoulder bag and looked at my phone and saw no notifications.

"Damnit, Sayori hasn't said anything to me yet…should I be concerned?" I ask Monika as we head out the door. She grips my hand and uses a free hand to rub my arm.

"Give her a call and check up on her." She replies.

I sigh and dial her number. At this point, me and Monika are standing out on the street. The air was once again cold, but not as cold as the day prior. The snow still covered the ground but the sun showed through the clouds so there was promise of warmer weather.

After a few seconds, I hear a dreary voice on the other end of the line.

"H-h-hello?" I hear Sayori say, still half-asleep. I sighed in relief.

"Hey, dorko. Time to get up, school is soon." I respond.

She gives me a small yelp, hangs up and proceeds to get ready.

I turn to Monika. "Hey, I think for now it's best to keep our relationship to ourselves.." I tell her. She looks up and me and to my surprise smiles.

"I think I agree, especially with everything that's going on with the girls.." She slides her hands from my arm. She has a calm expression but I can tell she was slightly hurt. I pull her into me for one last, passionate kiss in the open before we covered ourselves up. She blushed as she pulled away, locking her gaze on me.

"I love you, Monika." I tell her.

A smile grows wide on her face and her eyes light up dramatically. "I love you too, Christian. _So muchhhh_!" She emphasizes and it makes me laugh. Jesus, this is some weird, hellish scenario I got dragged into, but with her around it really does make everything better.

I can't help but laugh at her enthusiasm. '_Jesus I really did love this girl'_ I tell myself. In just a short amount of time, it happened and I didn't care _one bit_.

Before we knew it, the cinnamon bun ran up to us, panting like she just ran a marathon.

"S-sorry! I overslept again!" She tells me.

I simply pat her head and laugh.

"Don't worry about it, doofus. I don't mind waiting for you." I tell her.

She pops a smile and notices Monika standing behind me.

"Monika! What are you doing here?" She says, excited but confused at the same time.

'_Shit, I didn't anticipate this question_,' I think to myself.

Before I can answer, Monika speaks up.

"I always knew you guys walked together so I was curious how close you guys lived together! I kind of wanted to tag along in the mornings!"

"But don't you live a few streets over?" Sayori quizzically asks.

"Yeah but I don't mind leaving a little early to see you guys! Besides, morning walks are always nice." Monika responds.

Sayori seems to buy this because she shrugs and grins.

"Well I'm glad to have you with us! Now let's go!" And with that, she grabs my wrist and we leave for the school.

….

Once again, the school day was a drag. It was Friday, so naturally most of the lectures consisted of quizzes or tests, which I literally didn't study for but somehow passed my way through. Why am I taking tests when it's my first few days of school? I have no idea.

My 6th period is study hall. I brought out a composition notebook to take up room on my desk and lay my head down. Thoughts of the literature club swarmed into my mind.

'_Just one more class and I have to go there.' _I tell myself. '_I know somethings going on now and I need to see if I can fix it…maybe when we all share poems I can take the time to pick each of their brains or something…'_

I sigh audibly and then realized something.

'_Fuck I didn't write a poem!'_

I open my notebook and get to an empty page. I pull a pen I had from my pocket and look at the clock.

'_I have forty minutes. Jesus why'd I have to let Monika seduce me.'_ I joke to myself and get to work.

** Hope**

_ The world is enveloped in black_

_ The path forward is uncertain_

_ I see a light and I get my hope back_

_ I take a breath and raise the curtain_

_ There is a figure that stands in the light_

_ It beckons me with a helping hand_

_ I swallow fear and push with all my might_

_I grasp the hope that I was given, moving away from the darkened land_

_ We enter a place, uncertain of life_

_ I am assured that we can push through_

_ I feeling pierces in my heart, warning me of strife_

_ She caresses my cheek, hope burning true_

I look at my paper and see the poem I have created.

'_Isn't the worst thing in the world I guess, but I wonder if Monika will know it's kind of about her.'_ I think to myself.

A few minutes pass and I make my way to my final class to finish off my school day.

….

I arrived at the club room and realized I was the first one there. It seems a little strange but I didn't question it.

I sat at a desk, pulled out my copy of 'Portrait of Markov', and popped in some headphones.

It's been easily five minutes and no one has entered. I got lost in my own world, reading and listening to music.

"**Master of puppets, I'm pulling your strings. Twisting your minds and smashing your dreams.." **

I air-guitar to my music and sing to myself, completely oblivious to the laughing that has been occurring around me. I start air drumming and feel a finger tap my shoulder. I jump in my seat and turn to see Yuri standing right by me, followed by the remainder of the girls laughing.

I take the headphones out of my ears and sigh.

"How long have you all been standing there?" I say, trying to sound irritable and hide my embarrassment. Sayori bounds up to me. "For like several minutes! You look so silly sitting there playing fake instruments!" She says, grabbing my shoulders.

I try to hide the shade of red that overtook my face and look the other direction. "Come on, no one was here and I was just relaxing before anyone did."

"Oh come on, dummy. It was funny!" I hear Natsuki say. I sigh and shake my head.

"Whatever, anyways it's nice to see everyone." I say, trying to change the subject.

I heard Monika chuckle. "So _someone _has a little weakness." She teased.

I rolled my eyes and buried my face in my book. '_These girls drive me crazy_' I tell myself.

Yuri and Natsuki go to their respective spots in the club, Natsuki's being the closet and Yuri's being a desk with a book. Sayori and Monika sidle up close to my desk.

"You okay dorko? We were just messing." I hear Monika say. I roll my eyes and smirk.

"Yeah I know, you guys just startled me was all." I tell her. I make eye contact with her and she shoots love lasers into my eyes. I blush at her intensity but resist the urge to give her a kiss.

I turn to Sayori who was on my other side. "You seem like you're in a much better mood today." I tell her.

She pokes her fingers together and looks sheepishly to the side. "I'm always okay! I don't know what you're talking about." She tells to me. "The clouds just were tame today.."

I sigh and pat her head. "I know, I know I'm just messing with you dork!" I tell her.

There's a slight silence between us and I notice Yuri walk to us. "Hey, Christian! Are you busy at the moment?" She asks.

I nervously turn to Monika and we share the same gaze. '_Oh no'_. I turn back to Yuri.

"Eh, well I'm just kind of discussing stuff with Monika and Sayori here…" I tell her.

She smiles brightly. "Oh lovely! Would you mind accompanying me? I need to make a quick trip across the campus to restock our tea and would love your company!"

Before I could answer, Yuri grabs my wrist and yanks me to my feet. Without avail, she brings up towards the door.

"Monika, me and Christian are going to go retrieve some supplies for the clubroom!" She calls over her shoulder. Monika shuffles nervously in place.

"Yuri, maybe Christian would be better here-" Monika starts but Yuri cuts her off.

"Nonsense! He wants to help me!" With that, she drags us out of the classroom. I give one last look behind me to Monika, seeing concern in her eyes. I blow a quick kiss before Sayori can see and we exit the room.

….

We make our way across the school, out to the courtyard. There's a large fountain in the middle, constantly gushing with clear water, with several cherry blossom trees littered throughout the place. Benches lay under each tree, and some on concrete paths.

Yuri drags us to a cherry blossom tree and forces us to sit down with our backs to it. She gives out an exaggerated sigh.

"This is one of my favorite places to be. It's so pristine and relaxing, the smell of the blossoms calm my soul….it's amazing." Yuri says. She turns to me with a blush on her face.

I nervously chuckle. "Eh-Yuri? Why did you take us here? Aren't we supposed to be getting supplies for-" She silences me with a finger to the lips.

"I just needed to get you alone. I love spending time with you in the club, but with everyone around it still makes me anxious. Bringing you to my favorite place though, it makes me feel the most comfortable." She says, her gaze drilling into my face.

I felt a bead of sweat drip down my head. Yuri was being _extremely_ forward.

Without saying a word, she grabs my hand and thrust it onto her chest, right outside her heart. I felt her heartbeat, beating a thousand miles a minute. Her soft breast was squishing against my hand, causing me to blush and internally freak out. I _really _did not want to touch this girl!

"Do you feel that, Christian?" She asks, her blush increasing. "I don't know what's happening!" She exclaims with genuine excitement. "It's like my heart is going to explode out of my chest!" She says. She lifts her gaze and looks me in the eyes.

"Christian….would you mind reading with me today?" She says. I was at a loss for words at what was happening so I timidly nodded my head. She produced a copy of 'Portrait of Markov' and brought it in between us.

She opened the book to a chapter I haven't read yet. I didn't mind though. I was more concerned with the situation. The only thing running through my mind was the dream I had and Monika telling me about her obsessive personality and self-harm.

She became fixated on her book, and for once I was starting to be at ease. '_Maybe this is my way to help her cope' _

She sat to my right, with her shoulder touching mine so we could read closely. I held the book with my left hand and she held the other end with her right hand. The entire time, I was zoning out thinking about Monika, who I honestly would rather be spending my time with.

Yuri notices my disconnect and turns her head to me.

"Am I wrong to say that you aren't enjoying yourself?"

I nervously turn my eyes her direction. "Of course I am! I just, I can't help but think we should be back in the clubroom. I mean, we have poems to share soon heh heh…" I nervously laugh to her.

She looks at me with dejected eyes. "I knew it, Christian…"

I sighed nervously. Shit did I say something wrong?

"You really don't enjoy spending time with me, do you?" She says. Her voice quivered with sadness, but her eyes had a hint of something else…

"No, no! It's not that Yuri! I just don't see everyone else during the day and I like using the club time to talk to everyone." I assure her.

Her mind seems to race as if processing what I said.

She looked at me and made eye contact. "Okay, I understand Christian. But, before we go, thank you for spending this time with me."

She leans over and places a kiss on my neck, running a tongue from my collar to my cheek. I turn to her, red in the face, as she stared back with a lustful gaze.

"I guess we can head back now." She says, her voice confident, uncharacteristic of her. I internally scream and nod my head, completely shocked.

I steadily stand up and try not to act like what just happened was abstract. '_What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck!'_ I kept telling myself. My mind was blank. The entire walk back to the club, Yuri just kept giggling to herself. It seriously was freaking me the _fuck _out.

We made it back to the clubroom and the girls were already sharing poems. I saw Monika's eye light up when she saw me. My face must've shown a sign of true terror because her face turned into genuine concern.

"Do you want to share your poem with me first, Christian?" Yuri says to me, already reaching into her bag for her poem.

"Eh, maybe I should-" Before I can respond, I feel her hands on mine, handing me her paper.

"I wrote it with extra care this time, hehehe~" She giggles at me. I grip the parchment and turn it over the read what she has written.

The poem was _very _abstract. There was almost no form to the paper and it just consisted of her writing down dozens and dozens of analogies of different objects with different purposes. '_breathing blood', 'God disproving the existence of God', 'snakes with human eyes'_. My brain was trying to rationalize what I was reading. My hands started to tremble. Something about this poem gave me _extreme _discomfort.

I tried to read the poem as long as I could, but I felt the sting of eyes on me. I peered over the poem and saw Yuri piercing me with her gaze, a smile wide on her face, her body shaking with anticipation.

I lowered the poem and could barely muster a nervous smile. "It's er-it's good, Yuri! Very abstract.." I try to say. She starts laughing maniacally.

"I'm glad you think so, Christian! It doesn't really matter what it's about though, it's just so special that you're touching it!" She giggles at me. I stare at her wide eyed. "Did you notice the markings that I placed on it?"

I gazed back onto the paper. Where my hand lay holding the paper was a mixture of brown-burgundy stains. On several more spots of the paper, there was amber stains. I shook as I lowered the paper and stared back at the obsessed purple-haired girl.

"Y-yeah?" I muster out. She laughs to herself and takes a step closer to me, her face inches from mine.

"I'm glad you noticed. I endowed it with my scent! You can keep it if you want hehehe~.' She tells me. I stuff the paper into my bag without questioning it.

Her eyelids close slightly and she rubs her hands on my arms. My hairs stand up and I get tingles along my spine. When Monika did it, it was sexy and lovable all at the same time and made me excited. When Yuri did it, it was _creepy._

I shuddered and she noticed and giggled. "Don't worry, Christian. We'll get our alone time soon. I _promise." _She winked at me and turned around, heading towards Sayori and Natsuki. I trembled where I stood.

'_What the fuck just happened? What does all that mean?' _My mind raced. I was shaking, feeling my mind on the verge of a mental breakdown. I heard slight footsteps behind and a gentle hand on my shoulder. When I turned, it was my love, Monika.

"Christian, what's wrong?" She told me, her voice full of concern. I grabbed her arm and I dragged her out of the clubroom.

We got to some vending machines down the hall and moved into the empty space in between them. Before she could say anything, I pull her into a strong embrace and broke down.

She said nothing and rubbed my back, delivering kisses all over my cheek and temple. After a few minutes, I controlled my breathing, though now was becoming embarrassed that I cried like I did.

"Christian.." I hear Monika say softly. I said nothing and stood in place, not daring to move. She gently grabbed my chin and forced me to look at her.

"Baby, tell me what happened." She says. Her face showed that she was concerned, but she forced extreme love into the expression to comfort me. I push my forehead onto hers and took a shaky breath.

"Monika, I don't know, Yuri is getting _dangerous_." I tell her. She grips my arms gently and says nothing so I can continue.

"She took me outside to the courtyard just so we could be alone. We read for awhile but she kind of told me that her heart went nuts whenever she was around me. She kissed my cheek and licked my face and it freaked my out."

I felt her grip tighten onto my arms when I mentioned that but she said nothing.

"I then made a note that we should make our way back to the club so we can spend time with everyone and she reluctantly agreed. When we got back, we noticed it was poem time and she showed me hers first. It was so _abstract!"_

I paused for a moment to catch my breath. Monika carefully rubbed my arm and caressed my hands. I kissed her forehead and continued.

"She told me she just kind of _wrote _it and endowed it with her scent. She wanted me to keep it I guess, and I was so mortified that I just stuffed it into my bag without questioning her.

I brought Monika into a hug and she reciprocated.

"Well, what about when she got all close to you..?" She asked, her voice guarded. It was obvious she didn't appreciate Yuri that close to me physically, and I can't blame her."

"She got close and told me that…." I faltered and looked into her eyes. "…me and her will get alone time soon and she gave me a sinister _promise_."

I finish and look at my beautiful girl to see her response. She just stared into my chest without saying a word.

"Monika…" I quietly say. She looks up at me. "I'm scared."

She leaned and placed a kiss on my lips. She opened her eyes and caressed my cheek.

"Don't be, love. I'm right here with you." She says.

I faintly smile and squeeze her in a hug. "Sweetheart, what if we can't control what's happening? What if the same events are just going to continue and I have to watch them unfold, like in the dream?" I tell her.

She sighs against my chest. "We….we just have to try. It's all we have right now…"

Silence falls between us while we hold each other until I speak up.

"D-do you want to read my poem?" I ask her nervously.

She looks at me and smiles. "Of course I do, my love."

I hand her my poem and she reads it. It's obvious she knows that it's a poem dedicated to her because I see her expression contort in awe. Her eyes glisten and she looks up at me.

"What did I do to deserve you?" She says to me while placing a kiss on my cheek.

I laugh (which feels _amazing_ with what just conspired for the passed hour) and hold her waist. "I seriously wrote that in thirty minutes in study hall, so it can't be that great"

She giggles and kisses me passionately. "I don't care how long it took, I love the poem and I love _you_." She says.

I sigh happily and stare at her. "We're going to get through this bullshit, _together_, and figure out how to help these girls. Even if they are clingy." I joke to her. "Thank you for calming me down. Something about all this made me feel helpless.." I faltered.

She kisses me once more and squeezed my hand. "Of course, dear. I'll always be here for you. "

I grab her hand and pull her out of the vending machine hiding spot. "Come on, we don't want to seem _too _suspicious." I tell her.

We arrive back in the class and the girls are still having a calm chat amongst each other. Yuri glances up and gives Monika a slight glare before turning her attention back to the conversation.

We walk up to the group and they let us in.

"-Please? I just want a bite!" says Sayori. I look and see Natsuki holding a big chocolate chip cookie. It was wrapped in plastic and looked recently fresh. Sayori kept trying to reach for it but Natsuki was hiding it from her.

"Urk-Sayori! You already had one! This one is for Monika!" Natsuki says.

Sayori pouts and prods her fingers together. "You know my affinity for sweets, heh heh~"

Natsuki turns to Monika and smiles. "Here you go, club president. Baked them myself. Everyone already got theirs but you guys left the room together."

"I wonder what for.." I hear Yuri say but I refuse to answer.

Sayori's eyes light up. "Oooh! Oohhh! Monikaaaaa! Christiannnn!" She sang. Monika and I quizzically turn our attention to the cinnamon roll. _'Oh, boy here we go.'_ I think to myself. Sayori sidles up in between me and Monika, eyeing both of us suspiciously with a smirk on her face. "You too are dating!"

I cough nervously and try not to look embarrassed. Monika stutters and looks around.

"Sayori, don't get the wrong idea, we were just discussing things for the club!" I respond to Sayori. Her smirk gets wider.

"I'm the Vice President. Kind of fishy I didn't get notified of any new things for the club, dontcha think?" She says while walking circles around me. I sway nervously, because Yuri was eyeing me down with a neutral face.

Before I could deny her accusations, she started sniffing real close to me.

"Christian, care to explain why you smell slightly of cherry?" My eyes dart to Monika and we make eye contact. '_Um, fuck sandwiches'_ "And on top of that, you have little smooch marks on your face and neck! Christian and Monika are a couple! Ooooh~, Ooooooh~" Sayori started dancing and grabbing us.

"Sayori, please you're really looking into this too much…" Monika starts to say. Yuri abruptly stands up and looks upset.

"Monika, is it true? Are you in a relationship with Christian?" She says, her voice sharp. I did _not_ like the energy coming out of the girl.

Monika slightly flinches at the question. '_Shit, this was not going according to plan._' I think to myself. Monika stares in my direction and pleads at me with her eyes.

"Guys maybe this isn't the best time-" Yuri cuts me off by grabbing my hand, startling me.

She brings it to her chest and stares at me with sadness and determination. Her eyes hide another emotion that I can't quite make out….

I try to pull my hand back but Yuri holds it firm to her. Anger and irritation has taken over the emotion on her face.

"Christian, I won't let her take you from me." She says flatly. We all stare at her in shock. "I think you're amazing and I haven't felt this happy in my _entire life_. I'm not going to have _Ms. Perfect_ over here ruin that chance for me!"

I was at a loss for words. _'Welp, this is how I die.'_ I think to myself. To my surprise, Natsuki speaks up.

"Yuri, are you _crazy?_ Let him go!" Natsuki grabs Yuri's arm and pries off her death grip from me. I stumble back a few feet and stand beside Monika and Sayori.

Yuri glares down at the pink haired girl. "_Excuse me?_ Who are you to interfere?" She says, causing Natsuki to flinch. I half expected Natsuki to blow up on her, but she took and breath and remained calm.

"Look, Yuri, you aren't you right now. Trust me, _I know._" She turns to me as she says that and it makes me nervous.

"Christian helped me and I think he can help you too." She says. _I helped her? How?_

Before I could question Natsuki, Yuri spoke up. "What are you going on about? He _helped _you, too? What, you're trying to seduce him too?"

Yuri turned her attention back to Natsuki, balling her fists. This was all starting to get out of hand.

"Yuri! Stop!" I yell at her. She jumps in place and looks back at me, her anger being replaced by hurt. I furrowed my brow and crossed my arms, stepping close to her. "What has gotten into you? Just the other day you were a shy and kind young woman! Now you're acting like a total fucking Yandere and it's freaking everyone out!"

She opened her mouth to answer but I continued, on a roll now.

"I don't know exactly who you think you are or who you think I am but at this rate, you have _no _chance of being with me, not that im even interested in the first place."

The room was quiet. You could hear a pin drop. Without saying a word, Yuri ran out of the clubroom. I exasperatedly sigh and sit at a desk, burying my face in my hands. None of the girls dared move, for they were all stunned at what just happened.

Although the whole experience was very shocking, I couldn't help but harbor frustration and everyone being quiet and still wasn't helping.

"Someone for the love of God, do something. It's all done now, no need to stand around and stare." I say. Jesus, I didn't mean to sound like an ass but it was all getting to me. And in the _wrong_ way.

I tilt my head up and see everyone's eyes on me. I take a deep breath.

"Sorry, everyone. Didn't mean for it to sound like that I just-" I let out a drawn out sigh and rub my temples. "-I don't know, stressed me out, I guess. Sorry for being an ass."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and see Sayori, her leaning in and giving me a hug. "It's okay, no one blames you! That was _extra duper weird! _I've never seen Yuri like that!" She says. The other two girls chime in and agree.

"Yeah, I don't know what's gotten into her." I say. "I don't know her as well as you guys but even I could tell that she has been different these past few days. I don't hate her or anything, I just want to figure out what the hell is going on."

Sayori lets go of me and stands up straight. "I'm going to go look for her and make sure she's okay! Maybe she came to her senses or something!"

We nod at her and she exits the room. I sigh and look at the other girls. Natsuki was still standing with her arms crossed a few feet from my desk while Monika was sitting in a desk right next to me, looking at me with dejected eyes. I reach out and grabbed her hand in mine.

Her eyes met with mine and she fainted a smile.

"So, it _is _true?" Natsuki says. Luckily, she wore a smirk on her face and kept it lighthearted.

"Er, yeah. Yeah it is." I tell her. Monika blushes and looks away. "What, am I that bad of a boyfriend that you don't want people to know? Oof, I guess I'll just get up and-"

"No!" She says while scooching over her chair and grasping my arm. I chuckle and let her lay her head on my arm.

"Besides, something tells me that Natsuki is just the person we can trust right now." I turn my attention back to the baker. "You remember, don't you?"

She nods her head. "I didn't know if I believed it at first, but when I woke up, things felt strange. Father was….approachable. For the first time in years, I could actually be in the same room as him." She told us this with difficulty, but I think the experience we shared really helped her feel comfortable. "The weird voice was also absent this time too…." She finished saying.

I sat forward in my chair. "Weird voice? What weird voice?"

She looked at me and Monika with a worried look before taking a shaky breath. "There's a weird raspy voice that's been speaking to me. It's kind of an _asshole_ and it gives me terrible nightmares. It's only been happening recently, and that's why this week has been so hard…" So faltered and choked back a sob. I gave her a comforting stare and she continued. "Dad got much worse this week and I don't know, it sounds crazy but I think that voice has been influencing him or something."

"As crazy as it sounds, that makes stupid fucking sense." I tell her. She looks at me gratefully.

"I know it's not gone for good though. I still feel it somewhere in the back of my mind. It just feels much better now though. It's like you kicking my dad's ass in the dream pushed it back or something."

I felt my mind racing. '_I wonder…..if that voice that has been taunting me is in each of the girls here, forcing them out of their worst habits.'_ I turn to Monika and I think we have the same thought.

"Natsuki, thanks for telling me this. Definitely gives us a direction on where I can go to help everyone…..let's just hope that Yuri isn't getting the same treatment…"

I sigh and start thinking about the different ways I can help the girls. Monika squeezed my arm and delivered a soft kiss to my cheek. I turn my gaze to her.

"Well, I guess we are one step closer to fixing everything." She half-smiles and nods her head. Right at that moment, we heard the clubroom door explode open, with Sayori dragging Yuri in tow.

I sit up in my seat and watch them approach us, Yuri looking _extremely _more timid than she has been today and it is _such a relief._

She avoided every ones gaze and took a seat at a nearby desk, burying her face into her hair. The air became heavy and quiet again but Monika seemed to have the perfect solution.

"Okay, everyone! I think we can end today's club meeting! It's Friday so we finally have the weekend to relax!"

Sayori and Natsuki cheer while I just chuckle to myself. '_Sleeping in and relaxing does sound pretty nice. It's been a looooong week.'_

"I want to hang out with everyone!" Sayori says. We turn our gaze to her and she continues. "We should all have a hangout night! It'd be fun! We can have it at Christian's house, right? Please? Please? Pleasepleasepleaseplease." She grasps my arm and jumps in place like she's asking a parent if she can have a Christmas present early.

I grab her and hold her place. "Sayori, sure I don't care, I want to spend more time with everyone anyways, it gets quiet in my house."

She basically explodes in place. I can't help but laugh with her. '_It would be nice to relax, maybe keep my mind off of everything. Keeping everyone close would be good too, keep them safe. Not to mention some more alone time with Monika would be heavenly…'_

I gaze at Monika and the previous nights events popped into my head. She catches me staring and I blush and turn away.

"Okay, Saturday it is then! We'll meet at Christian's and hang out!" Monika declares. Everyone agrees happily, well Yuri very meekly agrees.

With that, everyone started to get up and gather their things. Sayori bounds up to me, handing me my bag. "Ready to head home, Christian?"

I nod my head until I feet a hand on my wrist. I turn to see Yuri looking up at me.

"Christian, before you go, can we have a talk? I want to fix things…" She shyly says. I nod my head and turn to Sayori.

"Think you'll survive the walk home? I feel like I should take this.." I tell her. She giggles and flicks my forehead.

"Of course I will! Take your time! I'll see you tomorrow~" She sings as she skips out of class. I chuckle and turn to Yuri.

"Hey, I'm going to use the restroom, okay? Be right back."

I exit with Natsuki and wave to her goodbye. I hope everything actually mellows out for her at home.

I finish using the restroom and walk out, seeing my princess waiting for me. I smile and pull her into me, where she practically breaks my ribs in a hug.

"Hey now, I don't want to be crippled for life yet! Give me a few years." I joke at her. She chuckles and sighs into my chest.

"You're staying back with Yuri?" She asks, clearly worried. I simply nod and caress her cheek.

"Yes, little lady. But don't worry, I'll be home soon enough, okay? Will I be seeing you later?"

She leans up and places a kiss on my lips. "Of course. Besides, I have to…..reclaim what's mine because you were tainted today." She says this while kissing my neck. I shiver and she giggles to herself.

I laugh and pull her into one last hug.

"Christian, please call me or text me when you get home…" She quietly says. I place a kiss on her forehead.

"I will, Monika. Don't want you to worry."

She sighs happily and pulls away. "I love you, Christian."

I smile and start walking towards the clubroom. "I love you too, Monika! _Thiiiiss much!_" I make a show of stretching my arms way up high like a doofus. She laughs at me and blushes. I turn and continue my way to the end of the hall to the clubroom.

When I walked in, the soft smell of tea hit my nostrils. Yuri was standing at the teacher's desk with her tea set out, pouring two cups.

She saw me walk in and had a warm but timid smile.

"Welcome back, Christian. I figured some tea would help us relax so I could apologize."

I gave her a smile and approached, taking the cup she handed to me.

"I guess this wouldn't hurt. I hope you don't think I hate you, by the way. I just got stressed and lashed out. So I apologize for acting like an ass." I tell her.

She sighs and looks up at me. "It's okay Christian, I understand. I figured I'd make some tea to help us relax to keep us in the best mindset. It's the healthiest way to be when having a serious conversation."

I just nod my head and agree. Fun fact: I know very little about tea.

"How about we drink our cups before we begin?" She suggests to me.

"We don't want to sip on this throughout the talk?" I ask her. She shyly smiles at me and answers.

"It would be best to finish the cup so we can get relaxation."

She ushers my cup to my mouth and I comply. '_It's a little weird but I guess she's trying…'_ I think to myself. The tea is a weird shade of purple but I don't question it. After all, I've never had this kind before.

I finish my beverage and place my cup down. It had a weird aftertaste. A really _weird _aftertaste. Not like exactly negative but it was very potent.

I noticed Yuri giggling. I look up at her, but I couldn't focus. The room kept swaying back and forth, prompting me to grasp on the teacher's desk.

I shakily look up at the purple-haired girl. "Yuri…what…"

I stumble to the floor on my hands and knees and struggle to get on my feet. I hear Yuri bust into a maniacal laugh.

I force myself up on my knees and turn my attention to Yuri. The room was spinning, the walls were merging and convulsing, bringing my attention everywhere and nowhere. Yuri was slowly stalking towards me, a huge grin on her face, twirling her hair in her hands.

"Yuri….what the _fuck _did you put in my drink?" I say through gritted teeth.

She simply sighs and giggles, bending down to be eye level with me.

"Christian, did you forget already? I already told you that we'll have our alone time! I even promised!" She sighed dreamily at me and brushed my cheek. Her pupils were dilated, bleeding lust onto my gaze. The more I looked into her face, the more I realized she was gone. The shy Yuri was gone and the one surfaced was crazy and hell bent on having me.

I would've batted away her hand if I had any strength in me, but instead focused my efforts on keeping myself conscious. I, however, was failing. Darkness was slowly stealing the edge of my vision. I look at Yuri, struggling to stay awake.

"You embarrassed me in front of everyone, and you must take responsibility for that, but don't worry, _darling, _you'll be taken care of, I promise you. You're _all mine_."

With that, I felt my eyes roll back as my body collapsed on the floor, echoes of Yuri's crazed laughter ringing in my ears as my consciousness faded to black.


	8. Eternal Garden

There was a dull throbbing in the back of my head. I felt like the room was spinning. My limbs felt heavy and weak. I couldn't move or open my eyes.

I just focused on breathing and turned my attention to listening the best I could. I could hear humming, and from the pitch and tone it was female. She seemed to be in a good mood too. I heard an assortment of clinks and sounds, like the individual was tinkering with stuff. The sweet aroma of jasmine filled my nostrils.

I could feel my senses slowly but surely returning to me. I groggily opened up my eyes.

I looked up, my vision still slightly blurred, but I was clearly in a room of sorts. The walls were purple and I saw I was indeed laying in a bed. I moved my hands to rub my temples until I realized I was bound to the bed frame. It seems to be chains, and my slight movement made my binds clink together, alerting the girl standing in front of a mirror across the room.

I turned my attention to the girl. She wore a grey long sleeve sweater and black leggings. Her lavender hair twirled as she faced me, a smile wide on her face.

"Christian, you're awake." She said softly.

I scooted myself the best I could to sit up and put my back to the headboard, my arms outstretched to my sides.

"Yuri…..where am I?" I ask through gritted teeth.

She gives me a creepy laugh that could rival a horror movie ghost girl.

"Use context clues, dearest. You're in _my home_." She says, while gesturing around the room.

My eyes dart around to survey my surroundings. She had a big room, clearly she came from wealth. There was a double-doored closest right next to me, with a door on the far side of the room, which I presumed led outside. She had a wide, double doored exit leading to a balcony that I could see through white see-through curtains.

She noticed me taking in my sights and sighed dreamily,

"Like your new home, dearest?" She says to me. I fix my eyes on her.

"Yuri, let me go. I don't want to be here." I coldly tell her. She looks all over me and sighs.

"I don't understand why you won't let me love you. Won't let me care for you. It hurts, you know? But don't worry. I _will_ get what I want….even if it's by force."

Yuri's gaze lowers and she stalks towards me, her hips swaying with every step. I clear my throat awkwardly and shifted my weight. I eyed my chains and see that they are connected weakly to two separate bedposts.

She gets to the bed and lays a hand on my leg. I shuddered to her touch. She giggled at my actions and leaned down to kiss my leg.

"Honestly, I have to thank you. If it wasn't for Monika, I don't think I would have the courage to do this." She tells me. I feel dread creep into my soul.

"Um….Yuri? What are you planning on doing?" I nervously ask her.

"Isn't it obvious, dear? I'm going to take you. _All of you_." She responds. She giggles to herself and leaves my bedside and turns to a cabinet across the room. She moves a curtain and shows a glass container, filled with an assortment of knives. They were all beautiful, some normal and some exotic.

She opened up the glass cabinet and tap her hands together like she was pondering.

"But, for me to _fully_ enjoy the love we are about to share, we will be diving into one of my more…_abstract _kinks."

She reaches up to a top shelf in the cabinet and brandishes a beautiful purple-stained blade. It shimmered as the light hit it, reflecting its color all over the blade. She turned to me with the blade in hand and lay her eyes on me.

"Yuri, what is your kink?" I ask, now concerned why the mentally insane girl in front of me is holding a knife. She rears her head back in a maniacal laugh. She lays the knife down on a vanity countertop and strips her sweater. Fortunately, she was wearing a bra, but something in my brain told me that she wouldn't be for long.

My eyes drifted to her arms, where my eyes widened in shock. I kept my calm and thoughts to myself as I examined her. I scanned her arms, which from her wrists to elbows were covered in assortments of scars and cuts, some old and aged, others fresh and still raw. I heard her stifle a laugh and my eyes met her face again.

"Normally I would be cowering right now if someone saw who I truly am." She started, pacing around her room, playing with her knife. "Most would call me a freak, say I'm a loner and laugh at me. But with you, I have confidence. I want to show you me." She puts her arms out like she was showing me all her cuts. "Yes, I cut myself. Do you know why?"

I timidly shake my head without opening my mouth. I was _seriously _getting bad vibes. The dream I had of her popped into my head and I started to internally freak out.

"Well, most would think it's because I'm depressed or because it helps me cope. But that's far from the truth. It's…_sexually stimulating." _As she says this, she gently pokes her left forearm with the blade, leaving a small trail of blood to drip down her arm.

"It feels _so damn good! _Something about it just brings me to new euphoric heights, you know?" She lays her eyes back on me. I was becoming terrified. I made no noises or movements, just stared at the crazed purple haired girl.

"So, now you understand how I tick…..and I'm going to spread this love to you."

She walks slowly towards me, grips the hilt of her blade. My eyes widen as she neared towards me.

"Er-Yuri, listen, there's no need for any of thi-" She silences me by placing a finger to my lips.

"Shhhh, my Dearest. You talk to much." She says. She pokes my leg with the blade and I feel it break my skin. I wince from the sensation and she giggles.

"Doesn't it feel _so good_, Christian?" She brings the blade away and I already see the blood faintly staining my pants. It was a little cut, but just enough for it to bleed.

She abruptly jumped onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stared into her eyes and tried my best to struggle against her but she wouldn't budge. She leaned forward and slammed her face to mine, her tongue licking all over my chin and mouth.

I clamped my mouth shut and closed my eyes, refusing to reciprocate. She leans back and had a noticeable confused look on her face.

"Christian, what's wrong? We are going to seal our lives as lovers! Why aren't you loving me back?"

I avoid eye contact and look everywhere but her. She grabs my chin and forces me to look at her.

"Christian, what is it? Why won't you reciprocate my affection?" She says, irritation now creeping into her voice.

I sigh and tried to find a confident voice. "Yuri, you kidnapped me and chained me to your bed. I'm definitely not feeling the love right now."

She stared at me with a guarded face. She gripped my chin harder and I winced.

"It's because of Monika, isn't it? You guys really are together? You chose her over me?" She shot at me, now becoming irate.

I couldn't find what to say but my face must've spoke volumes because hot tears fell down her face.

"No. No this is _not _happening. You will be mine, whether you like it or _not."_

She grabs her knife and without delay drives it directly into my right thigh. My whole torso heaves forward and I yell at the ceiling. I close my eyes and felt the fire from the pain burning up my entire leg, shooting up my body and throwing me into shock. I felt tears streaming down my face as the pain took over. I tried bringing my hands to my leg with animalistic instinct to cover my wound but was stopped by the chains.

She hopped off my lap and stumbled to her cabinet. I look at the knife that stuck in my leg, it's purple hilt stained red. The bed sheets that surrounded my right leg was becoming a shade of crimson, my pants becoming sticky and stained by the blood dripping out.

I hear her laugh maniacally at her cabinet as she picks up several different blades. She turns back to me with a crazed look in her eye.

"Christian, you are _mine_. I will have your heart!" Yuri yells at me, a mixture of sadness and insanity bleeding out her voice.

I pulled my hands out as far as I could, straining against the chains. I stared at the bedpost and saw the weak cuffs about to give. I look back at her and try to muster up any courage I may have.

"Yuri, this is _crazy!_ What is _wrong _with you?" I stammer at her. Every body movement flared up the pain of the knife sitting in my leg. I winced and tried to hold back my pain.

"Nothing Is wrong with me, Christian. This is how I am. This is how we get to be, _together_." She steps towards me and my mind goes into auto pilot. I yank with both my hands and break the weakened cuffs, freeing me from its binds. She lungs at the bed with her knives and I roll towards the end of the bed. I fall to the floor and the blade in my leg gets cause on the frame of the end of her bed. I cry out in pain as fire shoots through my leg.

My whole body shook as I leveled myself against the wall. Yuri sat with a look of contempt on her face, digging her knives out of her purple bed sheets. I look down at my wounded leg and grasp the hilt of the knife. I take a few deep breaths and rip out the blade, dropping to a knee and screaming in pain. I drop the knife on the ground and use my hands to cover my cut. My vision began to blur from the pain, but I took deep breaths to regain my composure.

I grabbed a long stocking I saw on the floor at the end of her bed. I wrapped it around wound, wincing in pain as I tightened to, hoping to stop extreme blood flow and cover it for the time being.

I steadily stood and saw Yuri facing me once again. Her pupils were small and she had a grin on her face. She held one of the knives in her hands tightly. I leaned my back against a bookcase she had and took deep breaths, trying to mask my fear.

"There's no need to be scared, dearest. I'm here for you. I will _protect _you." She says to me, her voice a mixture of melancholy and madness. In my peripheral vision, I could see the double-doored exit to the balcony.

'_I just got to distract her enough to make a break for it'_ I thought to myself. My knife wound in my leg became a dull throb as I started to feel adrenaline kick in. I steadied myself and got in a defensive position facing Yuri.

"Look, you are _clearly _fucked up right now. But it's okay because I think I know how to fix you, I just need time Yuri." I tell her, keeping my voice calm.

She takes a step forward, spinning the blade in her hand.

"Christian, what are you talking about? I'm fine! Are you saying I'm not perfect? Are you saying I'm not good enough?" She says, her voice becoming a dangerous tone.

I shakily put my crimson-stained hands up. "No, not at all Yuri! I just know something is in your head right now and I know I can fix it!"

She pauses and looks at me, a bewildered look on her face. She tilts her head tightly and I can see that this caught her off guard.

"I know what's going on, Yuri. I understand because I also am going through the _same thing._" I tell her.

Her face drops and I see tears roll down her cheeks.

"I keep hearing the voice, it feels like it's twisting my mind. It's making me….._obssessed._" She tells me, her voice shaking. I told a cautious step towards her. She was sounding more like her reserved self and it gave me a smidge of confidence.

"Don't listen to the voice, Yuri. It's manipulating you. It's trying to control you." I tell her. She looked up at me, her eyes glossy. Her knife dropped out of her hand.

I closed the gap in front of us, ignoring the pain, and put my hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, the club with take care of you."

She took a deep breath…..and froze. Her eyes glazed over and fixated on a random spot past me on the wall. I got an immediate sense of unease.

"No…..no Christian, you're lying to me! You're just trying to get me to leave you alone so Monika can have you to herself. But _I'm not going to let that happen._"

She gripped my arm and dragged me to the bed, me slightly falling to my knees because of the pain. I gripped her arm and tried resisting but she had a death grip.

She pinned my right arm down on the bed, forcing her body weight on my upper body uncomfortably laying on the bed while my legs were on the floor. She picked up the second knife that was laying by her pillow and turned to me.

"If you won't let us because together now, then we will be together in the afterlife." She spat at me with venom. She brought her knife out with one hand and thrust it downwards toward my chest.

I instinctively used my left arm that was free and latched onto her wrist, holding the blade in place. She grunted and slowly pushed the knife down. I was resisting the best I could but she had a strange surge of strength, just barely surpassing my own.

Without too much thought (or regard to my previous injury), I swung my right, injured leg the best I could and knocked it into her legs. She slightly lost balance, but that was all I needed. I pushed up with my body weight and followed her down the floor, pinning her wrists down and sitting on her stomach.

She growled at me and tried moving her hand with the knife, but my adrenaline have me a strength boost. I pick up her wrist and slammed her hand down several times on the carpet until the weapon sprang free from her grasp and bounced a reasonable distance away.

She tried to force her face to mine like she was….biting me? But couldn't get up enough to do anything. Before I could take a deep breath and think what to do next, she bucked her hips forward and I lost my balance, rolling over her head and once again against the bookshelf.

She swiftly regained her weapon and shot to her feet, her eyes staring straight at me. Wordlessly, she raised her blade and charged. I yelped and sprinted to my right, directly towards the balcony exit. I didn't even _bother _with the door handles, just using my pure body weight to shoulder charged into the door. To my _absolute _luck, it smashed open, my body being assaulted by the immediate cool air.

I stumble to the end of the balcony and dart my eyes _everywhere _to get a read on my surrounding. It was a small balcony, clearly meant for only several people as an outlook. We were on a second story, so a fall couldn't be _too _bad, but the way I was already injured, that would be a last resort. I could crawl up her window sill to the roof, but at the cost of being higher up. I needed to go _down_.

Without a moments notice, Yuri appeared in her doorway, heaving and shivering. At that _exact _moment, the soft feeling of snow became apparent, as both our attention was drawn to the sky.

I had no idea what time it was, but the sun was already down. The moon barely shown through an overcast, which would make sense for the precipitation.

I threw my gaze back on Yuri, who stood staring at me menacingly. I took a deep breath and tried to keep a calm demeanor.

"Yuri, it's over. I have a way out and there's nothing you can do about it." I say, knowing full damn well that whatever I choose to do will result in absolute pain. "Drop your knife and this won't have to end this way."

She begins to laugh. I creepy laugh. A _soul-piercing _laugh. Her insane chortle echoed on throughout the area, making my hairs stand up on end. At this point, the snow was coming down on a steady downpour.

She took a step forward. I shifted backwards, my lower back hitting the balcony wall. I turn over my shoulder and see the snowy yard below me. No bushes in sight. I hear a loud war cry and turn to see Yuri charging me.

Before I can react, there's a loud _thud _and Yuri collapses onto the cement floor, unconscious. She lay still and didn't move a muscle. I look forward and I immediately feel a sense of relief.

Monika appears, with a rolling pin in her hand, panting like she just ran a marathon. Her green t-shirt and jeans were immediately covered in white because of the snow, and her long brunette hair covered her face, her emerald eyes barely showing through.

She sprinted at me and leaped onto my chest and started sobbing. I lowered my back down against the wall until we were both sitting in the snow, sobbing and holding each other.

Several minutes pass and she forces my face to hers for a kiss. Unlike Yuri, I gladly accepted her love. She broke away and looked into my eyes.

"I've waited to hear from you for hours! You never said anything I just _knew _something was wrong. I asked Natsuki where Yuri lived and came here as fast as I could." She said, trying to control her breath.

I gripped her face and pushed my forehead against hers. I held onto her tightly, feeling nothing but her amazing warmth and the soft snow collecting on us.

I opened my eyes and gripped my princess, pulling her to her feet.

"We need to get inside, my dear. It's getting cold and this snow isn't helping." I tell her. She simply nods her head. I hold onto her arm and take her inside. I hop on one leg and she goes to question but I tell her that I'll explain inside. As we pass the threshold, I hesitate and turn around to see Yuri still unconscious in the snow.

I hobble over and with difficulty, throw her over my shoulder, dragging her shirtless body into her room. Monika closes the door behind me and I lay Yuri's cold body down onto her bed. Monika leaves the room in search of blankets and I lean back to a wall and sit down, keeping my steel gaze at Yuri.

My mind was thinking about everything and nothing. I couldn't stop replaying what took place in my head. Yuri being crazy obsessive. Her stabbing me. Her legit cutting problem. It all played through my head and I couldn't think about anything else. The look in her eyes, it stuck with me. How insane she was.

I didn't even notice when Monika walked in. She was sitting next to me, holding onto my arm with her head on my shoulder. I had a blanket over my shoulder. I looked up and saw Yuri was covered in one as well.

'_Damn, I was super lost in thought', _I told myself.

I turned my attention back to Monika, who carefully touched the stocking on my leg that harbored my wound. She carefully untied the stocking and let the crimson-stained article of clothing fall limp to the floor.

She gently rubbed her finger over my open wound. I winced at the sensation and ignored the flare that erupted from her touch. She suddenly sat up and fled the room. Before I could question her behavior, she returned with a load of medical supplies in her hand.

She gripped my leg and brought it closer to her. I winced and fought back the urge to yank my leg from her from the burning sensation while complaining. "Hey now, careful. It hurts!"

She shot me a glare and I clamped my mouth shut. She turned her attention to my wound. She immediately dabbed around the cut with a damp hand towel. I grabbed onto her should and felt the sharp pain shoot through my body.

"_Jesus Christ!" _I yelled. She immediately threw some unknown cream onto my wound and threw gauze onto in. I fought through the immediate urges to jumped or wince and let her work. She finished by wrapping it up with a bandage and tightening it.

She let out a sigh and stared at her work. I remained silent. She turned her gaze to me, a mixture of anger and concern.

"Not a doctor, so I'm not entirely sure what is needed to treat this, but it will do for now. Now Christian, _what happened?" _I sighed and looked her into the eyes.

I recounted everything that happened, from when me and Monika said our goodbyes, Yuri giving me a drink and me passing out, to me waking up here and Yuri being crazy and stabbing me.

Monika simply nodded her head the entire time I talked, the occasional tear streaking down her face. When I got to the part about her coming on to me, she inhaled sharply and tensed up.

"She _kissed _you? How did you react? What did you do?" She says, her eyes piercing mine. It was obvious she was worried that I enjoyed it or something. I simply relayed to her that I just simply did not reciprocate and that it made the situation worse, and she seemed to relax a tad.

"Okay…I was just curious.." She says, avoiding my gaze. I simply pull her head onto my shoulder and squeeze her to me. I picked up where I left off and finished, ending with seeing Monika standing with the rolling pin.

I sigh after recounting everything. Monika squeezes my arm and places a kiss on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" She asks. I turn my head to hers and catch her loving gaze. I bring my opposite hand up to her chin and lean down to kiss her. She relays her love to me through the kiss and sends warmth throughout my entire body, slightly calming my mind from the recent events.

I pull away and open my eyes. "Honestly, I think overall I'll be fine, but this is some _crazy shit_." I tell her, gesturing to Yuri. Monika lightly giggles and nuzzles into my arm.

I take a sharp breath. "I want to save her." I tell Monika. She looks at me confused.

"How will you do that?" She responds.

I looked at her and sighed.

"I think we need to share a dream together. Like Natsuki." I tell her.

She stares at me like she is processing what I said.

"How are you going to do that?" She asks me.

"I have to fall asleep and hope that we fall into the same dream together." I tell her while squeezing her hand. "Maybe since we're in such close proximity, it would amplify the chance."

She looks off to a wall and grips my hand tightly. She seems scared, and I don't blame her.

"What if it doesn't work?" She asks me.

"We won't know until we try." I say, bringing her forehead forward and placing a kiss on it. In all seriousness, I was scared. It was a longshot and not even _guaranteed_ anything would work. I just felt responsible for helping these girls. I got dragged into the world and they started to have insane problems, it's only natural for me to feel the need to help them.

I gently lay myself down on my back, carefully laying down my leg and ignoring the pain. I place my head in Monika's lap. The carpet definitely was comfortable enough for me so I didn't complain too much. Much to my surprise, I definitely felt exhausted. I think with the adrenaline rush and the events that ensued really taxed my mind.

"I'll keep watch, my love. Don't want Yuri to do anything froggy. Just…please be careful, okay?" Monika quietly says while gripping my hand. I place a kiss on her palm and lay my head back.

I took a deep breath and tried to relax. I focused on Monika running her fingers through my hair. In no time at all, I felt my consciously slip into sleep.

…

I was shrouded in a dark purple and black mist. It spun around me like I was in the eye of a tornado. I heard whispers throughout the rushing sound of the mist. The voices all ranged from male and female tones, young and adult. They all were having separate conversations, so it was damn near impossible to pinpoint what one was saying.

I kept my breathing in check to remain calm. I was having an uneasy feeling hearing the voices and seeing the scenery laid before me. I was unsure on what my first move should be.

Before I could decide, all the voices halted at the same time, leaving the eerie sound of the purple tornado. I looked around the see if I could pinpoint an exit until I heard booming laughter.

I flinched in place and felt my hairs stand up on my body. The voice's hearty, evil laugh rang on for several seconds before submitting again.

**"You know, you really are starting to impress me." **I heard the voice say.

It didn't take a genius to understand who it was. Or more accurately, _what _it was. The sinister voice that has been plaguing mine and the girls' dreams continued to talk.

**"Most would have faltered, their minds would have already succumbed to fear and madness. But you, you intrigue me. Here you stand, after several nightmares of what's to come and yet you still stand, dead set on being a savior that you can never be."**

I clenched my fists. "Listen, Mr. Deep Voice. I seriously don't know who you are, but I can assure you that fear left me long ago in these dreams. I'm going to help these girls if it's the last thing I do." I shoot at it, feeling a sense of determination I didn't know I had.

The voice once again laughed.

**"You seriously believe you can be their salvation, don't you? I can't help but admire that. You are right about one thing though, it will be the last thing you do."**

The mist in front of me dissipated, forming into a sort of doorway, shrouded in darkness.

"**Go. See how well you can **_**save **_**what is already lost."**

The voice gave a low chuckle as it faded to nothing. I took a deep breath and broke the threshold of the doorway.

I walked through shielded my eyes from the light. It took my eyes a few moments to become accustomed to my surroundings.

I seemed to be in a garden. It was littered with dozens of different kinds of flowers of all colors, painting a beautiful scene. Several cherry blossom trees were positioned around the garden, soft pink petals blowing around the regal environment. Gushing sounds of a fountain was heard, sitting stationary in the middle of stone paths that led all over the garden.

I looked towards the sky. A deep purple hue painted the atmosphere, leaving almost a supernatural glow across the land. If it wasn't for the fact that this was a dream, it would have been terrifying. That being said, it was _beautiful _scenery.

My attention turned to a figure looming by a cherry blossom tree directly across from me along the path. She was garbed in a white dress, with furls along the long sleeves at her wrists and by her feet where the dress hung. Her long, lavender hair flowed down her back, ending at her hips and blowing in the soft breeze.

She seemed to have her eyes fixated at the base of the tree, her hands placed against her chest. I couldn't exactly see past her, but I saw a figure laying at the bottom of the tree.

I inhaled deeply, allowing the aroma of the flowers to calm me, and pushed my way through the garden.

As I approached the girl, the soft breeze seemed to possess voices, soft whispers eating away at my mind. The closer I got, the more erratic that whispers became, almost as if becoming agitated. I allowed the dread to flow through me and pushed onward.

I stopped walking when I was five or so feet behind the individual. It was obviously Yuri to me, but something about the aura she emanated really set me off. The whispers now were becoming restless. Their intensity was consuming my mind, blocking all my thoughts.

I reached my hand out and grasped the girl's shoulder. The voices suddenly stopped, leaving nothing but the rustling of the trees and flowers to fill in the silence. I immediately withdrew my hand and stepped back again, feeling uneasy.

The girls head, which was hanging down by her chest, slowly was drawn up until she was standing tall. She allowed her arms to fall at her side. She slowly turned until her body was facing me.

I meet the face of the girl to see Yuri, a smile on her face but her eyes completely black. Her skin shown eerily bright for the otherwise gloomy setting and her posture seemed to be very elegant. She tilted her head as she examined me, her smile sticking wider and her black eyes eating away at my sanity.

I fought the primal urge to run. This clearly was _not _our Yuri.

The Yuri in front of me began to laugh. Her chortles echoed throughout the garden and seeped deep into my bones.

"_So, you have finally arrived." _She said. Her voice was layered, like there was multiple voices talking at once. There was a mixture of low and high voices, overlapping each other as words left her lips.

"_You have kept us waiting an awfully long time." _The Phantom Yuri said.

"Us? Who's 'us'?" I shakily ask her. She gently pokes her head, confirmation that there is more than one entity in her head.

"Who are you? And Where are _we_?" I ask, trying to get some answers. Phantom Yuri creepily giggles to herself, her many voices not helping me stay calm.

"_Glad you ask, darling. We are Yuri. All of her thoughts. All of her emotions. All of her insecurities. Everything that exists within her head is Us." _She bows elegantly before standing up straight and putting their hands behind their back. "_As for our current location, well this is our Eternal Garden. It is Yuri's happy place, where she is able to retreat from the world she is forced to live in."_

I looked around again and basked in its beauty. I can see why this can be her happy place, but is this really all in her mind?

I shift my focus to the individual laying on the ground. Phantom Yuri seemed to see my gaze and chuckled lightly.

"_I see you've noticed my prize." _She elegantly swayed her arm downwards and shifted her position to allow me a better look, as if showing off who she was in front of. I looked down and slightly gasped.

It was Yuri, garbed in her gray sweater and black leggings. She lay unconscious against the tree. I turned my attention back to the phantom.

"Is she okay? What is wrong with her?" I say sternly, slowly gaining confidence.

The girl simply laughed.

"_Is it not clear? She is resting. She is in her happy place where she belongs. She is not allowed to leave."_

I felt a wave of protectiveness wash over me.

"Yeah? And why is that?" I say, slowly becoming irritable.

"_Because, silly…" _Phantom Yuri steps back and dissipates into a dark mist. I looked around cautiously until I heard a soft _woosh_ behind me, causing me to turn around. She reappears across the way, in front of the fountain, her arms open wide. "_Because here she cannot be harmed, cannot be swayed by those deemed untrustworthy. We know what's best for her and we will protect her. At all costs." _

She eerily laughed her multi-voiced laugh and snapped her fingers. Three clouds of darkness appeared around her, with an individual appearing out of each. The three individuals were clearly made of the dark matter that Phantom Yuri has the ability to manipulate. As the figures became more easy to see, it was obvious that is the was rest of the club members.

Phantom versions of Sayori, Natsuki and Monika all began to laugh in the same fashion as Phantom Yuri. They each had their own laughter from the real world, but complete with the echo of many voices in one body.

I positioned myself in front of Yuri and narrowed my eyes at the girls. I stood in a guarded position and clenched my fists. Each of the girls looked up at me and bore their stare at me. Phantom Yuri chuckled and took a step forward.

"_Do you oppose us, Dearest? You do realize this is our realm, correct? We hold all power here." _All the other girls nod their heads in agreement and grin.

I sigh and feel uneasy. '_What the hell am I supposed to do the save Yuri?'_

I suddenly felt an uncomfortably strong grip envelope my body, seeing myself rise. I was hovering off the ground and frozen in place, my arms pinned to my side. I saw Phantom Yuri standing there, a smirk branded on her face, as she had an arm outstretched in my direction. A faint dark mist enveloped me and I knew that Phantom Yuri was holding me in the air.

She lightly laughed to herself. "_Look how powerless you are." _The other three girls laughed in unison together. "_Allow me to put you into your place, Darling."_

She flicked her wrist and I felt a sudden weightlessness. Wind whistled in my ears as I felt myself airborne. I crashed onto the cobblestone path and rolled into the fountain.

I groaned and shakily stood up as I rubbed my joints, red and slightly bleeding from scratching the ground on impact. I leveled myself on my feet again to see the girls slowly approaching me.

I slowly regained a defensive position but was immediately assaulted by an unknown force. I felt something coil around my body, grip and drag me towards Phantom Yuri, who was laughing to herself, clearly amused.

I stood in place, my arms constricted to my side, gritting my teeth. I felt sweat drip down the side of my head as I struggled to break free.

"_There's no use trying to free your bonds, Darling. You are controlled by us."_ Phantom Yuri chortles at me.

I frantically eyed around the garden until I saw movement by the cherry blossom tree. I saw Yuri shakily stand up and confusingly look around. Her eyes fixated on us and went through a mixture of confusing and alarm.

"Christian…?" I heard her say. It was _soooooo _damn nice to hear a normal voice for once that didn't have a million personalities intertwined in it.

The Phantoms each turned around to focus on the girl. Yuri seemed stricken and took a few steps backwards.

"_Well, well. Look who has finally awoken." _Phantom Yuri said. "_We were just disposing of this pest that has wandered into our Garden._"

Yuri's eyes locked onto mine.

"Hey Yuri, long time no see." I say through struggling. "Good to see you. What do you say we-_urg-_take down these ghost girls so we can go home?"

Yuri had a terrified and confused look on her face.

"I d-don't understand….W-where are we?" She said.

"I'll explain in time but li-_erk_!" I was cut off by Phantom Yuri squeezing me and throwing me towards Yuri. I struck the ground again and rolled a few times.

Yuri ran to my side and lightly grabbed my arms. She helped drag me to my feet, me groaning in pain in the process.

"I am _really _not a fan of this chick's psycho dark powers." I mutter as I regain my footing.

'Christian, what is going on?" Yuri asks while darting her eyes back and forth between me and the slowly approaching Phantoms.

"Look, long story short we are sharing a dream and I'm here to help fight off some demons so you can be safe in the real world." I tell her.

She silently nods her head, unsure of what to say.

"This is your happy place, right?" I ask her. She timidly nods her head. "Okay, look, about these damn shadow sirens, do you know anyway to combat them? Any way to counter them?"

She exhales audibly. "Honestly Christian, I don't know. I've never seen these girls before."

I groan and lay my gaze back on the approaching girls. "Damnit. The ghost Yuri version of you over there says she's a manifestation of literally all of your thoughts and insecurities and shit. Does that give any ideas?"

I can see her mind racing, her eyes threatening to release an onslaught of tears. I grip her wrist and lightly squeeze to comfort her. This is the first time in a few days that I've seen the _real _Yuri and it makes me want to help her tenfold.

Before she can make a comment, her phantom counterpart speaks up.

"_How was the little reunion?" _She coyly asks. I defensively step in front of Yuri, knowing that it wouldn't help too much for their attacks but taking the stance of protection anyways. "_You can't do anything to resist us. All you can do is bow. Kneel before me and you will be granted reprieve. As for our dear Yuri, this intruder is in our world. What would you have his fate be?"_

I feel Yuri lightly grasp my shirt and take a deep breath. She shakily walks out in front of me, towards the girls.

"Er-Yuri? Maybe we should stay back for now…" I called to her but she seemed unfazed by my words. She stood halfway between us and the girls. The Phantoms of Natsuki, Monika and Sayori took a knee to bow like Yuri was of royalty.

"You will not hurt him. He is my f-friend and wants to help." Yuri nervously says, mustering up the courage to speak to her ghostly counterpart.

I heard an uncharacteristic low growl come from Phantom Yuri. She took a step towards Yuri.

"_He is a threat, Mother Yuri. He wants to steal you from this heavenly place, take you to a world of pain and misery. He knows not of the plagues that will steal your soul from us."_ She said, her voice(s) brimming with annoyance.

I saw Yuri ball her hands into fists as her arms shook.

"I fail to understand completely what is going on, _but _I know for a fact that Christian means no harm. He is a loving person and a good friend. Whatever business we all have here can be solved without confrontation." Yuri says, her voice slowly gaining more confidence.

Phantom Yuri's black eyes bore into her 'Mother' version with extreme distaste. I noticed the other shadows become restless on their knees, like their loyalties were becoming distrusted.

"_I see. You are becoming blind to the outside world. You are giving us no choice. You must be protected at all costs. No exceptions."_

'_Oh shit'_ I think to myself. Shit was about to go down.

Phantom Yuri started to glow a dangerously shade of purple, her eyes emitting a dark power. The remaining girls stood up from their kneeling positions, slowly starting towards Yuri. Yuri yelped and started back pedaling fast. I stood up and started to sprint towards Yuri until I heard a crack in the sky.

A dark split opened up in the sky, almost like a tear. Dozens of spears and knives created of dark matter rained down, crashing into the grass and cobblestone. I grabbed Yuri and swept her up, diving to the side.

There was dirt and dust peppering the air from the commotion, clouding up our vision from the girls. I coughed and batted away the dirt from my mouth. All of a sudden, Phantom Natsuki jumped through the smoke, her arm formed into a spear.

I heard a shriek (I think it was me), and I instinctively dodged rolled to the side. She stabbed into the ground, getting her weaponized hand stuck in place. She cried out in creepy frustration and struggled against the earth. My mind blanked and I ripped a dark matter spear that was lodged in the Earth next to me.

I gripped It tightly, feeling its cool and slight sting against my skin. It was probably _definitely _not something I should be touching but at least I have a weapon.

I charged Phantom Natsuki. She looked up, her hollow black eyes seemed to look alarmed (well, I assume so. Kind of hard to tell with creepy ghost eyes). With a war cry, I stabbed the spear downward into the shadow, piercing her form. She cried out in her hundreds of voices and immediately dissipated into smoke, nothing remaining.

Before I could relish in my minor victory, I heard a _whoosh_ and a sting on my face. I recoiled backwards as I brought my hand up, feeling a gash on my cheek become sticky with my blood. I look up to see Sayori stepping forward, her fingertips each morphed into sharp shadow kunai.

I got into a defensive position and brandished my spear in response. I saw her ghostly cinnamon-bun smirk appear as she wound up her arms and flung her hands, releasing an onslaught of dark matter knives my direction.

I yelped and ducked my head, half crawling, half running out of harms way. I feel a few of the knives graze my back and I wince. Luckily, my mind starts kicking into auto-pilot so I'm not thinking too much and running on instinct.

She gave out a coy laugh and slowly approached me, her hands slowly regenerating her shadow weapons. I take this opportunity to attack. I lunge my spear at her and she swiftly bats away the weapon, side stepping and smirking. She swung her strong hand and sliced the side of my abdomen, causing me to cry out and drop to a knee.

"Christian!" I hear Yuri call from behind me. I concentrate on controlling my breathing, but to my dismay, Phantom Sayori pounces on me, rendering me defenseless. I struggle to fight back but she binds my wrists to the earth with dark matter.

She coyly grazes her fingertips along my cheek, her kunai fully developed. She brought her hand up to strike. I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

I sat in silence for a few moments until cautiously opening my eyes. I see Sayori still sitting on me, but slowly dissipating into nothingness. I see her head slowly roll to the side, her body decapitated.

I tilt my head to see Yuri standing there with a shadow blade she picked up from the ground. She exhaled sharply and used a free hand to grab my arm and help me to my feet.

"Thanks, bookworm." I muttered as I steadied myself.

I winced in pain and grasped my left side, feeling it sticky with my blood. I examine it and see it's not _too _severe, but will clearly need worked on when the ordeal is done. I take a deep breath and focus my attention on the remaining girls.

One more lesser shadow, Monika, and the big Phantom herself was all that's left. Phantom Yuri had a look of displeasure. She was levitating a few feet off the ground, examining the fights that broke out. She turned to Phantom Monika and hissed.

"_You, do not fail me. He must not be allowed to succeed. Her wellbeing is at stake!"_

Without hesitation, Phantom Monika's two arms morphed into two long dark matter spears, similar to Natsuki's. She propelled herself into the air, spinning in a drill-like fashion, aimed directly at me.

I dodged to the side, gripping some of the kunai that Phantom Sayori left behind. The shadow siren impaled the ground, inflicting no damage to anyone. She simply bounced up and back to her feet, regaining her composure and turning directly to me.

In the corner of my eye, I see Yuri slowly edging her way around the phantom mistress, trying to remain unseen. Phantom Monika once again charges. She jumps again in the air, only this time, she raised her arms up to stab downward at me.

I quickly sprinted myself forward and broke into a slide, becoming directly underneath her. Time slowed as I slide under her, turning my head to her. She was looking down at me, a slightly shocked expression on her face. I swiftly flung my hands up, throwing the few kunai I picked up into her shadowy abdomen.

I kicked myself back up and turned my attention to the phantom. She faltered as she landed, losing her footing and stumbling. She turned towards me and stumbled, gripping her shadowy body. I slowly marched up to her as she fell to her knees.

She growled as I approached, brandinshing a small shadow knife I picked up. Without delay, I drove the weapon directly into her forehead, causing her to cry out and dissipate into nothingness.

Before I could react, I heard Yuri cry out. I turned around to see her confined into a shadow box.

"_There, there Mother Yuri. You are safe. I will dispose of this nuisance before he goes any further." _Phantom Yuri says. I turned to make my way to Yuri when I felt my legs become constricted. I dropped to my face, unable to supported myself due to my hands being constricted as well.

I land against the cobblestone path, my head painfully bouncing off the surface. The pain sent stars behind my eyes and I shook my head to focus my vision again. I felt my once again floating in the air, only this time upside down.

After a short moment, I was only a few feet from Phantom Yuri. She began to chuckle to herself, her voices echoing in my mind.

"_I will say, Darling, you put up a good fight. And dare I say you look good doing it." _I tried my best to glare at the girl, but the pain in my side and head didn't help me stay too focused. "_Although you may fight impressively, this further proves why I can't trust you to protect Mother Yuri. She has been through too much pain to be in the likes of you."_

I felt the grip of the darkness around me tightening, it slightly burning my skin. I gritted my teeth and focused my efforts on the shadow.

She snapped her fingers and I slowly moved my head towards the tree behind us. Although I was upside down, I could barely make out clouds of darkness, having more shadow versions of the club girls appear.

There were dozens of them, copies of each other forming out of thin air from the mist. They stood, shoulder to shoulder, each one with a grin on their face. They started giggling out of sync. It rattled my mind and I closed my eyes to fight the voices penetrating my will.

"_**Give up the fight…", "You are zero", "succumb to Mother".**_

I pinched my eyes shut and shouted with all my might.

"_SHUT UP!_"

I felt myself slowly rotating in circles around Phantom Yuri, almost like rotations of a planet. She chuckled at my efforts and sighed.

"_If only you would join us, you would be a valuable asset to our Garden. You could've stayed here in peace, came and gone whenever you pleased as long as you listened to guidelines. But no, you had to retaliate. For that, you shall die."_

I felt the coils strengthen around me, burning into my skin. My eyes stung, my voice yelled out in pain and anger as I felt the matter slowly squeeze me to death. I felt weary and my energy was waning.

'_Well shit, this is how I die….who would've thought I would wake up with amnesia one day and by the end of the week die in a dream….' _

I hear Yuri scream. A blood curdling scream, the pure emotion of rage and hopelessness ringing loud all throughout the Garden.

"_LEAVE HIM ALONE! NOW!" _She roars. Her eyes were streaming with tears and she was shaking in place, pounding against her shadow box containment.

I felt the coils falter and loosen. I immediately felt a wash of relief and my body slumped from being tense.

Phantom Yuri bore her eyes onto Yuri, her black eyes wide.

"You are _nothing_. You are a fake copy of me. Your pathetic existence is enough evidence that you are an _absolute _nuisance in my mind. _You _are the cause for my pain. You are the plague of my mind, not the world I live in." Yuri spits at her phantom counterpart. Her voice radiated venom and contempt.

The grip completely loosened and I free fell the ten feet to the ground. I landed primarily on my shoulders and back, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for air as I rolled over to my hands and knees, shakily trying to regain energy.

I turned my head towards Phantom Yuri, who was slowly levitating towards Yuri. She had a dangerous aura around her.

"_What are you saying, Mother Yuri? This world is the cause for your poor broken mind! We are merely here to accept your burdens and bring you towards deliverance!" _Phantom Yuri stutters, her voice on the verge of breaking into rage.

"You are a reminder of my faults. I need you no longer." Yuri said, standing her ground.

At that instant, Phantom Yuri let out a scream in rage, dark matter forming all around Yuri's imprisonment. They started to form sharpened matter, aimed to penetrate and end Yuri.

Without thinking, I stumbled to a spear that lay a few feet away. As I stood to my feet, I saw the dozens of phantom club members charge at me, darkness at the ready.

I shifted my weight from my back foot to my front and lunged forward with all my strength, hurling the spear as hard as I could at Phantom Yuri. Time slowed as I watched the spear fly through the air. Phantom Yuri was in the process of turning my direction to see what the commotion was until the spear penetrated her back, causing her to cry out.

She plummeted towards to ground, hitting hard and rolling to her knees, her white dressed becoming tattered. Yuri's confines shattered, leaving her free. All the phantom club members cried out as they dropped to their knees, each one dissipating to nothingness.

I stumble towards Phantom Yuri, half dragging my feet from pain and lack of energy. My whole body was littered with red marks from the squeezing of the dark matter. I inhaled sharply and position myself in front of the shadow girl.

She looked up at me with malice in her hollowed eyes, her body glow slowly fading. Her many voices were fighting to get out, each one having something they needed to say.

"_You…how could you…do this? You were our Darling….you were supposed to stand alongside us as we cleansed Mother Yuri with the garden…"_

I gripped the spear that lay in her chest and ripped it out before towering over the fading ghost, her crying out in creepy pain.

"Listen, you don't know me as well as you think you do. I mean, this garden is beautiful but come on, _I'm more of an inside guy."_

I raised the spear and thrusted down directly through the phantom's heart. She cried out in vain, her voices each screaming at a differently frequency. Her body violently shuddered and she dissipated to a dark mist, blown away in the breeze.

The rip in the sky closed itself up and all the dark matter around us disappeared without a second thought. Among the purple sky, for the first time in the dream, the sun shown, bringing radiance along the entire Garden.

Me and Yuri stood there in silence, basking in the beauty of the garden.

"I gotta say…" I start while gripping my side and wincing. "If I were to die in any way soon, fighting shadow girls in a beautiful garden of color wouldn't be a bad way to go."

Yuri shyly giggled. I turned my attention to her.

"Hey, you did great Yuri. We literally couldn't have gotten through this fight if you didn't um….yell at your shadow." She timidly looks everywhere else.

"Y-yeah, er-I just felt so _angry_. I didn't want her to take my friend." She shyly said.

I laughed a big, hearty laugh (In between wincing and coughing from my injuries, of course), the moment being contagious and spreading to Yuri who also broke out into a laugh.

"I will say, Bookworm, it's nice to have you back to normal. Well, as far as I know at least." I tell her.

She quizzically looks at me.

"I'll tell you. But first, I literally would _die _to sit down right now."

She lightly grabs my arm and we make our way to the cherry blossom tree where this all started. I clumsily sat down with my back against the tree, trying my best not to touch my injured body anywhere too rough.

Yuri elegantly sat down beside me and fixated her gaze onto the regal fountain.

"So…this is a dream, right? I'm just going to wake up and you're going to be normal and not know anything that happened?" Yuri says.

I lightly chuckle and sigh. "No, I will remember. We shared this dream, Yuri. Like some sort of crazy science-fiction ass story. I don't know how to explain it but it happens."

She sits in silence for a moment before speaking.

"What did you mean by me being 'back to normal'? She asks while side-eyeing me.

I nervously shift in place, not knowing how to explain to the girl that she pretty much wanted to repopulate with me for the rest of her natural life.

"Well, er-you kind of became obsessed with me. You drugged me and trapped me in your house because you loved me or some shit."

I felt her shake and saw a tear roll down her cheek.

"C-Christian….really? I-I would N-never…" She shakily says, her whole demeanor leaking embarrassment.

"Yuri, don't fret. I kind of summed it up to you being plagued by something in your head. A similar thing happened to Natsuki, fortunately I was able to help like I did here. I don't hold you accountable for anything, Yuri. You're you now and that's all that matters!"

She takes a shakey sigh and turns to me, forcing her eyes to look into mine.

"Okay, Christian. I believe y-you."

I grip her arm and sigh. I could feel myself slowly becoming more and more drained, signaling that my time here was coming to a close. From the look on Yuri's face, the same thing was happening to her.

"Yuri, one more thing before we wake up." I drowsily tell her. "Don't be alarmed if you wake up and see me and Monika in your room."

She turns to me with a tired but shocked expression.

"W-what do you mean?"

Before I can respond, I felt my eyes roll back as unconsciousness stole me once again.

…

My eyes shot open. I shakily sat up and checked my surroundings.

I was still in Yuri's room (thank goodness), but I was lying by myself in the corner I originally laid down in. Monika was nowhere to be seen and felt a small ping of sadness at my heart, but quickly shook it off.

I shifted my weight and felt my body being sticky with sweat. I went to stand up until a shooting pain in my leg told me otherwise.

'_Shit! I forgot my leg was messed up'_ I tell myself, wiping the few tears that appeared due to the sudden pain stimuli. I huffed a shaky breath and turned to the bed.

I saw Yuri laying there, still fast asleep. I sighed and prayed that everything we just went through was enough to help her.

I turn my attention to the left side of my abdomen. I lifted my shirt up to see a bruise in the form of scratch marks that spanned around five inches, going from my pelvis, diagonally crossing up to my chest. I winced at the touch, making it known that it was still _very _real.

I lay my head back against the way. '_So I guess all injuries that I survive in the dreamscape just turned into bruised versions. Which, in my opinion, is a decent deal. Better than having gaping wounds everywhere.'_

I tapped at my pockets and realized I didn't have my phone, or any of my belongings at that. I felt the need to search for my property but decided to stay put until at least one of the girls turned up.

Moments pass and I hear shifting across the room. Abruptly, Yuri bolted straight up in her bed, hand clutching her heart. I must admit that her sudden movements made me jump a little bit.

Her wide eyes frantically scanned her room until they fell on me. Her chest was heaving fast, like she was just running. I put my hand up gently in a wave.

"Hey, Bookworm. Feeling okay?" I ask her.

She lightly nods and takes a deep breath, looking around carefully as if examining her room for things out of place. I noticed she was still shirtless and felt that she would be embarrassed to realize that. I spot her shirt a few feet from me and lightly crawl it.

"W-what are you doing?" Yuri asks nervously.

I brandish her sweater in the air. "I don't know, I kind of feel like you might….want this…" I awkwardly say without looking at her.

She gasps and looks down at herself, mortified. She immediately covered up herself and looks on the verge of tears. Without a moments haste, I tossed her the sweater. I looked up at the ceiling as if to give her some privacy.

I heard her sigh audibly and took that as my sign that it was safe to look. I returned my gaze to her and she was timidly fidgeting with her fingers.

"Yuri?" I call to her. She jumps slightly and looks at me nervously. "Are you okay? What's on your mind?"

She sighs and avoids eye contact once more.

"Do you er-remember? Everything?" She quietly asks.

Assuming she meant the dream, I nodded. She seemed to relax slightly.

"I woke up before you. It hasn't been long though. I didn't really want to bother you because you were sleeping so I figured I'd wait until you came around." I tell her.

"Well….thank you. For everything." She says.

I smirk and give her a small salute. "My pleasure, m'lady. Just glad to see that you're back to your normal self and not trying to eat my face off."

She looks at me nervously. "Christian I'm sorry about all that. I had no idea what I was doing! I promise that's not normally how I am…"

I put a hand up. "Yuri, you don't need to explain, I get it. You had shit messing with your head and it was making you dangerous. Nothing you can help. It came, we saw and kicked its ass."

She sighs and looks me in the eyes.

"Christian, seriously, thank you. For being understanding. For helping me even when I was….crazy."

I couldn't help but laugh at how she finished her sentence. She timidly looked away but had a faint smirk on her face.

"Sorry, sorry it's just the way you said crazy. Maybe I'm going insane myself." I tell her. We both share a laugh until her smile fades.

"Yuri what's wrong…?" I wearily ask her until I follow her gaze to my leg. Tears immediately found purchase on her face and she started to sob into her hands. I carefully hopped up and limped my way to her bed. I sat down next her and put her into a half hug. She laid her head on my shoulder and sobbed harder into her hands.

"Yuri, you know it's okay right?" I try to ask her. She doesn't answer and keeps her facing hidden. I use my hand that's around her to softly rub her arm, hopefully to calm her down.

After a few moments, she seems to calm her sobbing but remains quiet.

Before I could say something, Monika walks into the room. She was carrying a tray with several bowls on them, each steaming. She gasped when she saw us awake and looking at her. She hurriedly and carefully placed the tray down on a desk and rushed to us. Well, mostly to _me._

She sat down next to me and wordlessly brought my face to hers for a passionate kiss. '_I will never get tired of her kisses' _I think to myself.

I reciprocate and break the love, eliciting a sad moan from her like I ended it too early.

"Hey, sweetheart. I-um, we're back." I told her, gesturing to Yuri beside me. Yuri timidly waves, clearly uncomfortable with our public display of affection.

Monika seems to realize that Yuri is actually is sitting there and clears her throat.

"Y-Yuri! How are you feeling?" She asks, gripping my arm. Yuri relays that she is feeling well thanks to me (of course, I'm a damn hero).

Monika sighs, relieved, and turned her attention back to me. "What about you, dear? Do you still hurt? Do you have any new injuries? How did the dream go?"

She attacked me with questions and I chuckled and pulled her into a hug, kissing her temple. I was about to start telling her when she sat up.

"Hold on! Before we start that, I made us some-Yuri I hope it's okay, I cooked in your house-some soup." She says, grabbing a bowl for each of us. I grab the bowl and realize how hungry I was. I look up at my goddess and blew her a kiss.

As I dig in, I recount our dream. Finding a Yuri doppelganger that turned out to be all her thoughts and emotions in an entity, the entity's psycho powers, the garden and the fight that ensued. I lifted up my shirt to show her my most recent new trophy from war on my side as I recounted the final fights.

She looked at me worriedly as I finished. "Christian, Darling, why do you insist on getting hurt every time?" Her voice is trying to sound upbeat but I can pick out the concern that was hidden in it.

I chuckle to myself. "It's not easy being a badass hero, Monika." This elicits giggles from both girls.

"Where did you learn to fight like that anyways, Christian?" Yuri asks me.

I put my hand to my chin like I was in deep thought. "Hmmmm….I'm not entirely sure but I'm pretty sure I can only do that in the dreams."

We each chuckle once more until Monika sighs.

"So the dreams are the key. If we fix what's at the core then we can heal everyone." Monika says matter-of-factly. I nod my head in response.

"Hopefully there's not much more to worry about with this.." I say hopefully.

We all sigh audibly. We mostly finished our food and placed the bowls back on the tray. Monika went back out of the room to put away the dishes. She resumed just as fast, now clad in a jacket.

"I think we should probably get going, Christian. Especially with your injuries." Monika says. I nod my head in agreement and turn to Yuri.

"You wouldn't happen to know where you put-where the _other _Yuri put my stuff?" I calmly ask. She shook her head until Monika spoke up.

"I think I saw your things lying on the counter neatly." She says. I sigh and go to get up, limping slightly.

Before I could go far, Yuri ushers me to remain put and leaves the room. Me and Monika stand confused until she returns with a bottle in her hands.

"Here, Christian. It's the least I can offer." Yuri says while gesturing the bottle to me. I hesitantly take the bottle from her hands. There wasn't a label anywhere on it, just a orange bottle with a white cap. I turned my face to her for an explanation.

She takes a breath and talks. "I can't remember what it's called but it's an extremely strong and reliable medication that my Mother used to use. She hasn't needed in a long time and she's gone on a business trip. I remember her saying it had a very new and rare vaccine that cures admirably. I suggest that it would extremely help with the recovery of your leg wound."

I popped open the bottle and took out of one the pills. It seemed almost like a gel pill, with a white hue on the outside, a blue spec directly in the middle. I threw the pill down the hatch and swallowed.

"Well, I sure hope these work, Yuri! And also, thank you." I hobbled over and gave her a hug with she meekly returned. "Will you be okay here on your own?"

She nods and smiles. "You've already helped enough. I'm going to clean up my messes and maybe enjoy a glass of my Mother's wine to relax."

Me and Monika share a glance and look back at Yuri. "Yuri, you drink?" I ask, more impressed than anything.

She lightly giggles and nods her head. "Just every now and then. It helps relax the body."

Me and Monika bust out in chuckles.

"Honestly I wouldn't have taken you for the type! I usually take shots or drink like bitch drinks but I always have a good time doing it." I tell her.

Monika smiles and looks at me. "You drink, too?"

My smile falters again. '_There I go again just saying shit! Where did that seriously come from?'_

Her face immediately noticed my distress and pressed me.

"Darling, what's wrong?" She asks while placing an arm on mine.

"N-nothing, I think I'm just really exhausted. We should head home. Are you staying with me again tonight?" I quickly dismiss.

She grips my arm but doesn't press, instead nodding her head vigorously. I couldn't help but grin at her response.

We all walk to the front of Yuri's home, which turns out to be just a step below a mansion. I'd love to hang out here when there are better circumstances at play. We say our goodbyes depart her premises.

I had no idea where the hell we were but Monika seemed to have a good lay of the land so I just followed her. She kept her hand intertwined with mine tightly, almost as if to keep me from running off. In my current, I don't know if I could even if I _wanted _to.

My legs pain reduced to a dull throb and felt numb, probably a side effect of the medication that Yuri gave me. I was able to put lightly pressure on it without wincing.

We finally made it my house and I used my keys to open the door. I looked at the clock as I passed by it. "**11:45**"

"Jesus, I was gone for a while, wasn't I?" I say while making my way upstairs.

Monika follows, still holding onto my hand tightly. "Yes, it made me _soooo_ worried! I'm glad I found you when I did…" She said and faltered.

I opened up the door to my room and led her in. I immediately stripped down to my boxers and stupidly hobbled over to my bed, laying in the covers and gesturing her to follow.

She took off her jacket and pants (looking as cute as ever, mind you) and laid down with me. I wrapped my arms around her and brought her back to my chest, nuzzling her close. I took a big breath and got a scent of chestnut from her hair, letting it calm my body. She sighed happily before talking.

"Are you going to tell me what was on your mind back there? When you made that comment?" She said.

I sighed, really wishing she didn't bring it up. She weaseled her way out of my grip and turned around so she could face me. She grabbed my face so I could see her emerald eyes piercing me. She had a serious look on her face.

"Christian, what was it all about?" She sternly said.

I stared into her cute eyes and sighed. I leaned in and pecked her nose, making her soften a bit. I pull into a hug and rested my head on her collar. She squeezed me back and ran her hand up to my shoulders.

"Well, I said that thing that I didn't really know where it came from." I said. She stayed silent so I decided to elaborate. "That comment about the alcohol. I don't know what made me say it, it was just subconscious."

I felt her grip tighten.

"Do you think it's your old memories? Of your life before here?" She asks, her voice guarded and nervous.

I lightly nod my head as I speculate it. "It could be a possibility. But why now? Of all times?"

"Maybe because of the dreams, I mean you've healed two of our club members already. Maybe it's breaking some sort of barrier between your amnesia and your memories."

I laid there and said nothing, just held my princess. Something about that being a possibility really stuck with me, almost like that is exactly what was happening.

I was broken out of my thoughts my Monika taking a shaky breath.

"It'll be okay, I just need you to trust me." I softly say to her.

She lightly nods, laying her head in my chest and I lay a kiss against her temple.

"Just don't ever forget, my love. _I love you_. Not Yuri, not anyone in the club, but you."

She sighed and seemed to be more relaxed.

"I love you too, Christian. Forever and always." She says against my collar. I give her a squeeze and kiss her head.

"Goodnight, my dove.." I quietly murmur before basking in her warmth, pulling me into a deep slumber.


	9. Internal Struggle

I woke up by myself in my bed. I groggily stretch and let out a soft squeak. I slowly sit myself up and push my back against the wall. The sun was lightly shining through the blinds, giving the room a light glow.

I lightly swing my legs off my bed and place my feet on the floor, experimentally putting pressure on my right leg. I felt nothing but a dull throb to the pressure. I lightly lift up the boxers covering the wound and see that is more of a bruised scar. '_Jesus, what the hell did Yuri give me?" _I think to myself.

I shakily stand up, still weary of my leg, and make my way downstairs. As I'm walking down, I hear some music playing and someone singing. I get to the bottom floor and stare at Monika in the kitchen cooking, singing and dancing. She was wearing one of my old pairs of shorts and over-sized black shirt, complete with a red apron that was twirling with her moves.

"_I need a hero! I'm holding on for a hero 'til the end of the night! He's gotta be strong, He's gotta be-_AH!"

She turned around as she danced and saw me, jumping in place. I bust out laughing and step forward and grab a wooden spoon that was on the table.

"_I need a hero! I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light! He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life! Larger than lifeeee~"_

I finish singing, causing her to become less embarrassed and laugh with me. I stepped forward to pull her into a hug.

"Good Morning _urg-_Sweetheart!" I say in between her squeezing the air out of me. "Having fun down here?"

She giggles and leans up to peck my lips. "Well, I was browsing some music you have and I _really _liked this song." She points to a laptop that was connected the same Bluetooth speaker I used the other night. It flashed "**I Need a Hero – Bonnie Tyler"**

She looked back up to me and poked my cheek. "You seem to like it too!"

I chuckled and scratch the back of my head. "hehe, yeah the lyrics just kind of came to me. I don't really know from where though, must be from my previous life."

She sighed and squeezed me again, making me groan. "Well still, I _loved _seeing you sing and dance."

I chuckled and stepped farther into the kitchen to examine what she was doing. "Well, it felt fun. Anyways, what are you cooking up in here, sweetheart?"

I look onto the stove and see several pans with assortments of eggs and bacon in each.

"Well I wanted to be a cute little housewife and make my man breakfast!" She exclaimed brightly, grinning from ear to ear. I chuckled and playfully rolled my eyes.

"Well if that's what it takes to get great food all the time, then allow me to wife you up right now." I joke to her while stealing a piece of bacon.

She placed the apron on the hook on the pantry door and pivoted on her feet to look at me.

"Really? You'd do that right now?" She excitedly says to me, her green eyes twinkling.

I chuckle and finish chewing my bite.

"Hold your horses, little lady. I was just making a little goof."

Her eyes immediately dimmed and she half-heartedly sighs. I step forward and grab her hand to lead her to the kitchen table.

"Hey now, don't get all gloomy! At least let us finish school first." I tell her while smooching her temple.

Her eyes light up once again.

"That's perfect!" She exclaims while she puts her hand to her chin, thinking of all the different possibilities and realities that could outcome. "We're in our last year of school right now. We can graduate and before either of us starts our education we can run off and get married!"

I give a hearty laugh while I retrieve plates and cups to get our breakfast together. She practically bounces in her seat.

"My love, that's perfect!" She squeaks as I walk over to give her the breakfast. "We can have little Christian's that run around and get some animals, have our own house…" She sighs happily and stares off into the distance.

I take a bite of my food and chuckle at her. I crack a genuine smile at her giddiness.

'_She may be getting a little ahead of herself, but honestly I don't mind_,_' _I think to myself.

As I eat my food, I feel my phone buzz. I ponder down and see it's from Natsuki on the messaging app.

"_**Hey, dumby. What time are we coming over again?".**_

'_Shit,' _I think to myself. I draw my gaze back up to Monika who is still dreamily staring off into space.

"Earth to Monika." I say while waving my hand in front of her face. She blinks a few times, clearly confused, before landing her gaze on me.

"_hehe,_ sorry, dove. I was just thinking…" She embarrassingly giggles to herself.

I wave my hand to dismiss it.

"Don't worry about it, dorko. Natsuki texted me and asked me what time they were supposed to come over." I tell her while scrolling through the message.

Monika brings out her own phone and taps away. I raise my eyebrow and watch her movements. Before long, my phone dings and I look at it again. A new message pops up that's labeled '_Literature Club Hangout'_.

I tap it and pull up the message chain. The first message is from Monika.

"_**Hey, everybody! Meet at Christian's place at around 3-ish!"**_

The other members of the chat sent confirmation texts. I look up to Monika again.

"Do they know where I live?" I ask her.

She types a few things and the chat dings again.

"They do now!" She chirps. I chuckle and place my phone away. I stand up and take my dishes to the sink.

"Hey, you! No more phones at the table! Finish your breakfast before it gets cold!" I tell her in a fake-authoritative tone. She chuckles and takes a bite of her food.

"Okay, fine I will….._daddy._"

I slowly turn to see her grinning madly at me, her eyes half lidded.

"E-er, what?" I stammer to her embarrassingly.

She busts out in a hearty laugh and holds her stomach.

"Jesus, I didn't think it'd be _that funny_ to see your reaction!"

She continues to laugh madly while I roll my eyes at her and finish putting away what I used.

"Yeah, yeah whatever, you perv. I'm going to go clean and change myself before cleaning up my house a bit." I holler at her while going up my stairs.

Before I go in my room, I hear her shuffle throughout the kitchen. The music resumes and I hear her lightly humming to the tune while finishing her food. I smile to myself and enter my room, feeling like the luckiest bastard in the world.

…

"Christian….Christian…CHRISTIAN!" Monika hollers from downstairs. I finish fixing my belt and sliding into some shoes before responding.

"WHAT?!" I yell back.

"Hurry up and get your ass down here!" She yells back. I lightly roll my eyes and chuckle . at her outburst.

I glance into my full body mirror and get a look at myself. A normal pair of blue jeans, a fitted red T-shirt and some nice shoes. Not too formal, but more than lazy attire. I switch off the light and proceed downstairs.

When I hit the ground floor, I see Monika in the living room plugging in a vacuum. I approach her and raise an eyebrow.

"What the hell are you yelling about?" I fake scold.

She paused her actions and looked at me.

"I don't know, I just missed your face is all"

I roll my eyes at her and smirk, turning to walk to the kitchen table.

"Wow, rushing me just to be told that I'm missed." I joke at her.

She straightens up from plugging in the machine and trots over to me, wrapping her arounds around my abdomen and laying her head on my back.

"Well, I mean that's _one _of the reasons. I also was hollering because you have a job to do!' She cheerfully says.

I pocket my phone from the table and pry her grip off me so I can turn around to face her.

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" I quizzically ask.

"I figured that it'd be best if we divided our efforts! You know, you go to the store to get things that we'll need for everyone while I clean up our home!" She chirps at me.

I rub my chin in thought.

"I don't have enough stuff already? And what do you mean _our _home?" I question as I peer into my pantry.

She moves past me to the sink and kneels down to rummage in a drawer. She stands back up with cleaning supplies.

"First off, _yes_ it's our home. I love you and you love me and that equals us sharing a home so _shut up._" She wags a finger at me. "Second off, you don't have to get like the entire store. Just get some snacky things for us to have, you know, things that people would have at a party."

She began spraying down the table, not waiting for a response.

"Wait, so are we just going to thrive on some snacks tonight or am I making something for everyone?" I ask. She pauses slightly before continuing.

"Um, I don't know. We could make something, sure, or we could order something. Maybe pizza?" She suggests.

I ponder the thought while throwing on my jacket.

"Does everyone even _eat_ pizza? I'm pretty sure Yuri hunts for rabbits and bears in the arctic wilds for sustenance." I joke to her.

She laughs and turns her cute gaze to me.

"Well _duh_, who doesn't eat pizza?" She exclaims matter-of-factly.

I grab my wallet and keys.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We'll figure it out when that time comes. I guess I'll be off then." I tell her while turning to the front door. Before I could exit, I hear her over-exaggerate clearing her throat. I turn my head towards her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She says coyly, feigning sadness.

I chuckle and walk up to her, pulling her into a tight embrace. She giggles and hums at my hug and buries her face into my chest. I kiss the top of her head.

"Happy now?"

She audibly hums as if in thought. "Hmmm, not quite." She says.

I slowly pull away and raise an eyebrow at her. She playfully rolls her eyes and leans up to my face to capture my lips. I return to gesture, wrapping my arms around her waist in the process. I feel her lips form into a smile and she wraps her arms around my neck.

She passionately deepens the kiss and melts her body into mine. Before things can escalate any farther, I reluctantly pull away.

She cutely pouts at my sudden movement. I poke her nose and take a step back.

"I don't want things to get out of hand, missy. We both know how we are. Besides, aren't you happy now?"

She closes her eyes and flashes a big grin.

"Yes. I am now. Now go, my dearest! Onwards to your errand!" She declares at me, all regal-like. I laugh and exit the door, entering the cool world outside my home.

…

I haven't had a chance to visit the town since my week of being here (that I remember, anyways). Luckily, it wasn't too far a walk, which was mighty convenient for me because I didn't want to be gone forever.

It hasn't snowed since the day prior but there was still snow and ice all around. It was generally warmer today, so it wasn't too unbearable. It was slightly cloudy, but the sun still remained dominant and lit up the world with its rays.

As I made my way down various streets, I popped in some headphones to lose myself on my errand. I always like walking around with music. It's also nice to show people that I don't want to be bothered as well.

I walked my way into a sort of general outlet, with a bunch of different stores all lined up on either side of me. The stores kind of formed a giant square shape, with the middle being inhabited by a small park and assorted food carts. It was a Saturday so naturally it was decently populated.

I stood towards the middle and scanned a giant sign that had assorted store names and arrows to where they were located.

'_I need a more general store'_, I thought to myself.

I ended up deciding on one of the bigger stores that resides in the outlet, due to it have 'superstore' in the name.

I scanned the aisles and just grabbed little things that stood out to me. Chips? Check. Snack cakes? Double Check. Chips again? Never can be too sure.

I was in the middle of browsing some sweets when Sayori popped into my head.

'_Man, I should probably ask her what she wants. I'm sure she'd appreciate to have some of her favorite treats waiting for her.'_ I think to myself.

I pull out my phone and pause the music. I find Sayori's contact and initiate the call. It rings several times before I hear the other line pick up.

"Hey, Sayori! Whats up?" I start.

There was a slight pause on the other end of the line, almost like she was thinking.

"H-hey, Christian." I hear her respond weakly. I immediately felt a sense of unease wash over me. I stepped out of an aisle and found a nearby bench to sit down on, putting my basket I had down next to me.

"….is everything okay?" I cautiously ask. Another moment of silence again.

"I think so. I just kind of woke up." She says. I flip my phone screen up for a second to see the time.

"Damn, you slept for a while dorko!" I half-heartedly joke. Once again, the conversation is covered in a slight awkward silence.

"So, um…." I clear my throat awkwardly. "I was just at the store picking up some stuff for the hangout today and figured I'd call you to see if you had a preference on anything."

She stays quiet for a moment before answering in her uncharacteristic melancholy tone.

"No, I'm fine, Christian. Don't worry about getting me anything special."

I grip the handle of my basket and take a deep breath so I can keep my voice calm.

"Well _of course_ I'm going to worry about what you like! You're my best friend, you're the only one I'd worry about getting special snacks for anyways! Besides, we both know Yuri would probably rather drink tea or something than eat junk food." I joke, trying to lighten up the mood a tad. Unfortunately, she is immune to stupid right now.

"I'm fine with whatever Christian, really." She stubbornly insists. I mentally roll my eyes and remind myself not to press her too hard.

"Okay, okay I'll just surprise you! Did you see what time we were meeting up?"

I heard her shuffle around before returning back to the mic.

"Yeah I just saw it." She says flatly.

"Erm-okay, cool! Will I see you any earlier? Or just around that time or something…" I was grasping at straws here, trying to get _something _out of her.

"Um, maybe." She says. _Maybe to which part?_

I stand up and pick up my basket to start walking around the store.

"Okay, well how about when I get done with the store, I'll swing by your place and you can come help me get stuff ready! How's that sound?" I half-enthusiastically ask her.

She audibly sighs on the other end of the line and my small smile fades.

"Christian I'm fine being here for right now. I don't want to be a bother."

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose with my fingers. '_If you would've been a bother, I wouldn't have offered in the first place, dork!'_ I think to myself. I once again grab some enthusiasm from within and respond.

"Nonsense, dork! I'd love for you to be there. In fact, it would be _more fun _with you around!"

"Christian…" she mutters, trying to find any excuse.

"I'm almost done, so I'll see you soon, cinnamon bun!" I tell her, hanging up the phone before giving her a chance to retort. I was _not_ giving her a chance to avoid me. She clearly needs my help right now, so she's going to get it whether she likes it or not.

I hurriedly moved my way to the front of store to purchase the snacks I had.

Before I knew it, I was outside the store. I gazed around the outlet to see if I could remember the general direction where I came from. Fortunately, I didn't live far away. _Unfortunately, _I'm an absolute idiot so even that is going to be a challenge.

I ponder around anxiously for a few moments before recognizing the way I came from. I started to jog, with Sayori's home being my current goal.

…

"_Knock-knock-knock"_

I stood patiently and quietly, waiting for the door to open. Moments pass and I was still standing on the porch. I curiously tried the doorknob and to my surprise, it was unlocked.

I wandered inside and quietly placed the bags I had from the store on the ground near the door. This is my first actual time in my recent memory of me being in her home. No lights were on, other than the sun shining through closed blinds, so the home bled a melancholy atmosphere.

As far as I could tell, it was fairly quaint. Immediately following the entrance of the door was steps that led to the upper floor. To the left of the stairs was the rest of the downstairs, a decent living room with a connecting kitchen and several rooms farther into the home that had closed doors.

The walls and furniture were decorated with assortments of family portraits. Sayori seemed to be an only child. She strikingly resembled the taller woman in the photos, presumably her mother.

'_Where could her parents be, especially at a time like this..'_ I silently pondered to myself.

I made my way up the stairs to see if I could locate her room. The top of the stairs connected to a hallway that had several closed doors, two on either side. I had _no clue _which one could be Sayori's, so I just awkwardly called her name.

"Er-Sayori? You up here?"

I heard some shuffling from the furthest right room down the hall. I gingerly approached the door and lightly knocked.

"Hey, crazy. I hear you in there, you aren't being sneaky!" I lightly joke to her. I hear her yelp and shuffle around. I hear something being lightly dragged on the carpet and several soft _thumps _on the floor.

Confused, I slowly open her door.

Her room was more lit due to some of blinds being slightly opened, which was a pleasant contrast from the gloomy gray of the first floor. Her walls were painted a baby blue, several posters and decorations hung up throughout the room. Her quarters just had a singular window near her twin bed, a mahogany desk with a chair tucked neatly under it, and a walk-in closet to my left from the entrance.

Sayori was awkwardly standing at the foot of her bed, her hands planted at her abdomen. I raised an eyebrow and shot her a skeptical look.

"Er…whatchu doing in here? What was all the shuffling around?"

She awkwardly looks around the room and sits at the end of her bed.

"N-nothing, Christian! Just decided I should get up you know, hehe.." She says while prodding her fingers together.

I walk up to her and ruffle her hair with my hands.

"Well good! I didn't want to have to drag you out of bed!" I joke to her while poking her cheek. She sighs out of relief and pulls her face away from me.

"Hey now, meanie! I am perfectly capable of getting up on my own!" She retorts, slightly becoming embarrassed. I decide it's best not to tease her too hard and chuckle at her.

"Okay, okay I know, I was just messing. Are you ready to come over?" I ask her while glancing around the room.

She gets up and walks into her closet.

"Er, not yet. I want to change first." She half-heartedly says to me. I hear the sounds of hangars being tossed about like she was struggling for an outfit. I chuckle and sigh, until I saw something that caught my eye.

Lightly sticking out from under her bed was something that was lengthy and brown. I knelt down and grasped the rough object in my hands, realizing it was a rope.

'_What the hell is she doing with a rope under her bed?' _I thought to myself. Before I could fully pull it out from under the bed, she exits her closet, wearing a simple pink long sleeve shirt and some jeans, holding a jacket in her hands and a backpack over her shoulders.

Her eyes dart to my hands which were slightly holding the rope and she yelped. I instinctively dropped the object and stood up.

"Sorry, I was just got curious while waiting was all." I assure her. Her eyes were wide, like I caught her doing something she wasn't supposed to.

"N-no! It's okay! Why don't we get going, hehehe.." She forcefully grabs my wrists and practically drags me out of the room before I can say anything.

We get to the front door and we stop so she can throw some shoes on. She clumsily fumbled around with her shoelaces and seemed to be getting increasingly flustered. I placed a hand on her shoulder, and she paused.

"Let me get that for you." I softly said, kneeling down and grabbing her foot. I finished tying her laces to both of her shoes and stood up. She wasn't meeting my gaze, so I had to grab her chin to face mine.

"Okay, we're going to do a little exercise, okay?" I tell her. She wordlessly tilts her head. "You've been having a rough day so far. You're not all there right now and it's obvious. There's no need to be nervous or anxious around friends today, okay? Today is a day to relax and make memories."

She simply nods her head. Her lip lightly quivered and a few tears streaked down her face. I lightly brushed them off and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Hey now, it's okay. I want you to follow my lead. All we're going to do is take some deep breaths." I softly tell her. She simply nods her head again, no doubt on the verge of breaking down.

I brought my free hand up to show a tempo on breathing in and out. After a few deep breathes I relaxed my eyes on her again.

"Okay, now that we have calmed ourselves a bit, are you ready to _actually _start your day? Because all the shit that's happened prior to this doesn't count. Let's go have some fun, cinnamon bun."

Her lips form a small smile and her bright blue eyes soften a bit. I smile back, relieved that I'm seeing her face slightly light up again. I grab her wrist with one hand and my bags with the other and we leave her home.

…..

I unlock my front door and walk in. To my surprise, the downstairs was surprisingly well kept. Everything just seemed straighter, cleaner. There was a soft scent of jasmine permeating through the air.

I walked to the kitchen and placed my bags onto the island counter. Sayori dropped her bag at the door, kicked off her shoes and followed in suite, placing herself in a seat at the counter.

"Wow Christian, I've never seen you clean up this well before." She mutters to me, clearly impressed. I chuckle and look around the room.

"Eh, I'm pretty sure the only thing I did was provide the cleaning supplies. This was all Monika's doing."

Sayori's eyes lit up a fraction,

"Monika? Monika is here? Since when?" She asked me quizzically.

"Er-yeah, she kinda stayed the night last night…" I embarrassingly mutter. Sayori's lips formed a playful smirk and she leaned in, her head cupped in her hands.

"_Oh yeah? _Why did she do that, hmm?" She mocks. If it wasn't for the wave of embarrassment showering my face, I'd be internally celebrating that she seemed to be back to her normal self for the moment.

"Don't get any funky ideas, missy! She was just helping me with some er-." The thought of Yuri popped in my head. I don't think it'd be wise to share that information at the moment. So, I had to improvise, which we all know is never good. "-stuff with the club, I guess. She stayed later than we initially thought so I allowed her to stay."

Sayori got up from the seat and paced around the kitchen, almost like she was searching for something. She slowly prowled around, increasingly making me nervous.

She rounded the island and approached me, causing me to slowly back up away from her. When my back was against the wall, her eyes met mine.

"Er-what are you looking for, Sayori?" I nervously ask.

Her face starts to shine red and before I knew it, she busted out laughing, holding her sides in the process. I sigh in relief and laugh along with her. She walks into my living room and plops down on one of the couches.

"_Geez_, Christian! You should've seen the look on your face! You got so embarrassed it was _so cute~_" She recounted while laughing.

"What's all the ruckus down here?" I hear a voice say to my side. I turn to see Monika walking down the stairs with her hair up in a towel. She clearly just washed herself and she looked _amazing_. She was wearing tight-fitting jeans and one of my rock t-shirts from my closet. It almost makes me praise that Sayori was present because I might've improvised a love session.

Sayori perked up from the couch.

"Hey, Monika! Your _boyfriend _here was just getting nervous trying to explain why you stayed the night."

Monika's eyes met mine and she adopted a blush and a cute smirk.

"Oh yeah? What did he say, _hmm?_" She coyly asks.

_Oh dear, here we fucking go._

"Oh, he just made some lame excuse about working on stuff for the club. Like he'd ever be caught doing anything like _that _on a Friday night!" She recalls, a smirk on her face as she looked in my direction.

"Yeah, I guess that is pretty stupid, isn't it?" I mutter out loud. Both the girls melodically laugh at my response. Monika walks up to me and wraps her arms around my neck.

"You don't have to be embarrassed, _my love_. Besides, doesn't Sayori deserve to know that you _loooove me~_?" Monika teases me while smooching my cheek.

"Monikaaa…" I groan while flashing a look in Sayori's direction. Her eyes couldn't be any brighter. She practically was about to explode like a nuclear bomb.

"YES!" She excitedly screams. Me and Monika both flinch at her sudden outburst. "My two best friends are dating, this is the happiest day of my _lifeee~_!" She sings loudly and happily. Me and Monika both bust out laughing.

"Okay, okay Sayori, it's not that crazy." I assure her. She just sighs happily and lays on the couch. I swallow the awkward feeling I have and slowly become happy that Sayori is showing her normal colors again. I'll happily be around her with Monika if that's what keeps a smile on her face and her out of her own head.

Monika sighs happily and walks into the living room as well, sitting on the couch and motioning me to join her.

"Well Sayori, I'm glad you're here! I didn't think we would be done this soon." She says while turning on the TV.

I sit next to Monika and throw my feet up on the coffee table in the middle of the room.

"Should we tell the others they are welcome to arrive whenever?" I ask Monika. She puts a finger to her chin, thinking.

"Hmmmm…nah. We'll just enjoy our own company for now." She says while dragging me to lay on her.

Sayori asks for the remote so I toss it to her. She flicks through some channels before landing on a movie that just started. It was a decently paced comedy, but I soon felt myself becoming drowsy. Of course, it didn't help that Monika was running her fingers through my hair, sending euphoric tingles through my body. It wasn't long until I fell victim to sleep's potent grasp.

…..

…

.

I heard shuffling and talking. I recognized the voices but was too relaxed to care. The talking turned into laughing and for some reason I started to get irritable.

"Whoever that is can you keep it down?" I groaned in annoyance. The laughter and giggles didn't die down, which made me more irritated.

I opened my eyes and saw a flurry of colors surrounding me where I lay. I immediately regained all my senses and yelped in surprise. All the girls erupted in more hearty laughter at my little outburst, scattering throughout the room.

I sat myself up and gave a good stretch, trying to play it off. I scanned the room and saw that indeed Natsuki and Yuri both showed up. Natsuki was chuckling and began rummaging around in the kitchen and Yuri was sitting on the couch across from me, still laughing with Sayori and Monika.

I went to stand up but still felt a wash of fatigue, most likely from having just woke up from a nap. Monika noticed the tired look on my face and approached me, sitting on my lap in the process.

"Hey there, sleepyhead. How was your nap?" She sweetly asks me. I lazily laid my head against her shoulder and fake whined.

"Would've been nice if it hadn't ended so soon."

She giggled and ran her fingers through my hair, which made me feel like passing out all over again.

"I don't even remember falling asleep." I tell her. She giggled again and laid her cheek on my head.

"Well we were watching that movie and I felt your body become heavier and heavier. I went to ask you something about the movie, but I realized you were gone."

I sighed and looked up at the clock.

"Damn, it's already fucking three-thirty? How long had everyone been here?" I confusingly ask.

"Um, Natsuki just showed up like ten minutes ago. Yuri has been here for about an hour. She came a tad early to check on you to see if you were doing okay."

At the mention of her name, Yuri locked her gaze towards us and timidly smiled.

"You've been here a whole hour? Why didn't anyone wake me up?" I groaned. The girls started giggling again.

"You looked adorable, my dear. Why would we bother your beauty sleep?" Monika said while prodding my cheek.

I drew my gaze to Yuri.

"Well, I appreciate you guys letting me sleep but I feel bad! Anyways Yuri, I appreciate the gesture. I think my leg is okay, it seemed like it was more a scar this morning anyways."

Yuri timidly smiled and nodded her head.

"That sounds about right. I never really got to use any myself or see its effects on the user, just tales from my mother on how it was helpful for her." Yuri states matter-of-factly.

I raised an eyebrow to her.

"Er-will she notice that it's gone? Or rather, some of the meds are missing?" I wearily ask her.

She shakes her head and places her hands in her lap.

"She is out of town for the time being and will be for quite some time. Besides, she always told me that if there were ever an emergency that I was granted permission to use it. I think this would constitute an emergency, wouldn't you?" She tilts her head and smirks at me.

I shrug my shoulders and move Monika off my lap, standing up.

"Yeah I guess you're right. So, with that being said, _thank you_." I say while taking an exaggerated bow. She giggles in response.

I sigh and look around the room.

"Okay, everyone!" I holler loud enough for everyone to hear. I pause the TV to get the room quiet. All the girls turn their attention to me.

"Hey now, that's my catchphrase!" Monika mocked. I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Welcome to Casa de Christian, home of the awesome, filled to brim with greatness, and a great share of stupid." I announce triumphantly.

The girls giggle at my antics.

"Would anyone like a tour of this luxurious abode?" I ask while look back and forth at all the ladies.

"Sure, why not." Natsuki says while shrugging her shoulders. "We could always see what kind of creepy secrets you hide anyways." She grinned.

I rolled my eyes and smirked.

"You wouldn't find anything, anyways. I'm an innocent man. What about you, Yuri?" I look at her and she smiles.

"I wouldn't mind accompanying you through your home." She says.

I motion the girls to follow me.

"You two don't break anything, okay? Or I'm going to break your asses." I point a finger at Sayori and Monika.

"Don't be a meanie!" Sayori giggles.

"Break my ass, hm? If that's the punishment, it'd be a shame if I knocked some stuff over…" Monika coyly stated while stepping near a lamp.

I mentally slap myself for not thinking about how perverted that girl is.

I roll my eyes and pointed my finger at her.

"Scratch that! Sayori, I'll break your ass. Monika, I won't kiss you for a week if you break anything."

Monika gasps and put her hand over her mouth, faking being extremely shocked.

"You monster! You wouldn't dare!' She playfully says.

I stick my chin into the air and turn around, ready to show off my home to the other girls.

"Try me, princess!" I call over my shoulder. With that, we ventured through my house.

It didn't take long for the tour to finish. It just consisted of us poking our heads into rooms and Natsuki trying to find things to make fun of me over. Thankfully, there wasn't much.

We got back downstairs, and Yuri excused herself to the bathroom. Monika and Sayori were playing one of my games on the big TV (I think it was called Mario Kart? Whatever it was, I felt a strange calling that I'm a boss at it).

"Hey, dorks. Did you guys break anything?" I ask as I plop down on my big recliner.

"Nope. You didn't tell me that you had a Switch, meanie!" Sayori said in between bursts of her concentrating on the screen. I chuckled and sighed.

"Yeah well, I kind of didn't either..." I mutter to myself.

The girls finish the race and they turn to me and Natsuki.

"Well, you going to join?" Monika says to me while smirking. "Winners can get rewarded~" She sang while winking to me. I playfully roll my eyes and grab one of the controllers Sayori put on the coffee table.

"I almost have a feeling that you _know _that I'm awesome that games, so I'll be winning a lot." I joke to her. She giggles and faces the TV again.

"Maybe. Maybe not." She says coyly.

"All I know is that I _always _beat Sayori at this so we'll see if you can best me!" Natsuki triumphantly states. Sayori whines from across the room.

"_Heyyy! _We go back and forth, and you know it!" She says, sounding more determined than ever. She unwraps a snack cake one handed and places it in her mouth, all while keeping her concentration on the screen to set the game up. I was mildly impressed.

Yuri joined us on the couch but insisted she watch more instead. She brought a novel with her and seemed very content just being in our company while reading and occasionally engaging in conversation.

We played for hours. I won a majority of the rounds, which is what I expected anyways. Every time we finished a race, the girls would complain about me cheating. How I could cheat on this game is beyond me. Every now and then one of them won win and they would gloat about it for a while. It was pleasant being around everyone in this environment. We were like a family, and that's something that I've been without for who knows how long.

We finished a race and Natsuki groaned again.

"How do you _always _win?" She complained.

I shrugged my shoulders and smirked.

"It's just a natural skill, I suppose." I tell her.

She rolls her eyes and stands up.

"What other games do you have?" She asks while walking over to a bookcase filled with an assortment of cases. I wasn't entirely sure _what _I had so I just kept my mouth shut. In no time at all, Natsuki whipped a case off the shelf and held it in the air.

"Smash! Yes!" She says while changing the game. I chuckle at her cute childlike enthusiasm. I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Monika staring at me.

"Hey, should we start ordering food about now?" She asks. I look at the time and see it's around seven-thirty. I shrug and get up, walking to my laptop that's still in the kitchen.

"Sure thing. Hey, what does everyone like for pizza?" I ask while finding a website for pizza nearby. I get an assortment of answers from Monika and Natsuki, while Yuri is indifferent.

'_Looks like I'm ordering a bunch of things'_ I think to myself.

I start to sort through the site and I glance up in the living room. All the girls were preoccupied with an activity, whether it be reading or playing a game. Well, _almost _all of them. Sayori was just sitting there, staring off into space. She had a hardened expression and a slight frown. Her eyes were blank.

"Hey, Sayori." I called.

She snapped her gaze up to mine. I motioned her over and she relunctantly got up. She plopped down on one of the chairs next to me.

"Everything going okay?" I ask her while messing with the pizza website again.

She swallowed and forced a smile.

"Of course! This is all so much fun!" She tries to convince me. I turn my head to her and shot her a look.

"Listen, I know we talked other day and there's some stuff going on that's touchy to talk about, but don't think that I won't call you out when I see it bothering you. I saw it this morning, or more so _heard _it, and now I see it resurfacing. What's going on, cinnamon bun?" I ask her, making sure my tone was light but also stern, so she knew I was serious.

She sighed audibly and refused to look my direction.

"Christian, it's nothing. I told you not to worry about me. It's not worth it." She said with difficulty.

I finished typing on the computer before continuing. I closed the laptop and push it to the side while taking a seat next to Sayori.

"I don't think I can stress enough that this week has been an absolute fucking _shit show_, okay? Don't berate yourself like that, your problems are absolutely worth it."

She looked at me and I saw a tear stroll down her red-tinted cheek.

"It's just _so hard_." She quietly says. I look around and see that the rest of the crew is all side tracked.

"What is exactly?" I softly ask her.

"_Everything. _I'm not even safe in my dreams anymore…" She trails off. This grabbed my attention tenfold.

"In your dreams? Why, what's going on?" I ask her with concern in my voice.

She looked at me, her eyes pleading that I leave the topic be. I mentally shook my head and continued.

"Sayori, what exactly do you mean by '_in your dreams'_?"

"Well…..recently, there's been this big meanie raincloud that had been appearing…" She starts. I stay silent and just nod to show her I'm being attentive. "…he keeps telling me that I should just stop fighting because I'm weak. That everything I've been saying is right."

Tears were now freefalling more easily. I reached across the table to grab some paper towels for her. I knew she wouldn't want to attract any unwanted attention, so I cleared my throat and did my best to keep us quiet.

"I know that the meanie is right. What purpose do I have anyways?" She says, turning to me with glossy eyes.

I take a deep breath and lock my gaze on hers.

"You're wrong. That _voice _is wrong. There's no need to think those things. Whatever this voice is, _whoever _it is, it's wrong. You are absolutely worth it. We wouldn't be having half as much fun today if you were gone." I softly tell her.

She looked over into the living room again.

"If I was gone, Yuri could've played instead. She wouldn't have been left out." Sayori mutters.

I put my hand on her wrist to draw her attention back to me.

"Sayori, do you hear yourself? We _both _know that Yuri is more content reading than doing anything else. I assure you that she is very appreciative of the company." I assure her.

She looks away from me, this time drawing her gaze out the window, where the sun has been gone and the moon has arisen.

"We wouldn't know for sure now, would we?" She says, irritation now creeping in her voice. I was a little taken aback by her tone but kept my composure.

"You're right, but it doesn't matter. This is how it is and it's perfect this way." I tell her.

She sighs and swallows again.

"He agrees it'd be perfect without me…" She mutters.

"Who does, Sayori?" I ask her worriedly.

She stays silent, just gazing outside. Her expression was almost ghostly, her mind was clearly conflicted. I was becoming more and more anxious.

"Sayori…" I softly ask while placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinches to my touch.

"….the cloud. He's been talking to me all day. Keeping me company." She flatly says.

I felt a chill go down my spine. '_A voice has been talking to her all day….is it The Voice?_' I look back at her and sigh.

"Hey, whatever this…._cloud_…has been saying, don't heed to it. You have people all around who care about you. Never forget that."

She just stared blankly out the window. I sighed, truly at a loss for what I can do.

"Will you join us over in the living room?" I ask her. She looked at me with vacant eyes. "I know you want to kind of keep to yourself, but I want to keep an eye on you. Plus, everyone will notice you being secluded and that wouldn't help matters much." I suggest to her. She reluctantly gets off her chair. I give her a half hug and we join everyone else.

"Did you order the pizza?" Natsuki eagerly asks me. I nod my head and sit in my recliner again. I exhaled and stared at the TV until I felt eyes on me. I turn to see Natsuki still looking at me.

"What's wrong? Was the pizza a lot of money or something? I could give you some…" She says while patting her pockets.

I realized that I've had my exchange with Sayori on mind and immediately chastised myself for it.

"No, not at all! I was thinking about how I can't wait to kick your ass at this game to." I grin while grabbing a controller.

She looks at me suspiciously but immediately smirks.

"This is the _one _game that I know I can beat you at. I've been playing Smash for years." She says with pride.

"Yeah? We'll fucking see about _that_. Last I checked, Sayori was the best Smasher around, right?" I say while turning to her. She feigns a smile. I toss a controller to her and wink.

'_Maybe some games will keep her mind off of everything. Well, at least until I can help her out later.'_

Monika sits on my lap and I grunt. She grabs a controller and kisses my cheek.

"Don't forget that I'm an excellent Smasher myself." She says, although it was borderline seductive.

I shot her an accusatory glare and she giggled. Natsuki kicks off the game and we begin to play, waiting for our food.

I got to say, Natsuki sure could back up all her smack talk. She definitely was fierce when it came to this game. I could see that Sayori would be good too, but I think she was too distracted at the time being to fully give it her all. Monika was just mediocre, but still made it interesting.

In no time at all, I heard knocks on the door. Natsuki and Monika looked at me excitedly as I got up and went to the door.

I signed the receipt and carried the boxes to the kitchen.

"Gather 'round, my children. Come get sustenance." I say to the girls. As they funneled through the kitchen, I realized I had to use the bathroom.

"Hey, I'm going to go use the bathroom, don't take all the pizza!" I tell them as I retreat upstairs.

I finished using the bathroom and approach the sink. I had the water running low to wash my hands but go distracted by thoughts of Sayori.

'_I have a really bad feeling about all this…'_ I think to myself. I give a big exhale and look at myself in the mirror. How can I prevent anything? Why did I get chosen to do some weird ass dream warrior shit? Natsuki's and Yuri's dream were weird as it is, I couldn't begin to imagine what Sayori's would be_. _

I splash water on my face and dry it off with a towel. Something tells me that tonight is my night to protect Sayori. Ever since this morning, I have been slightly on edge. Her behavior straightened out a tad this afternoon and I think that's why I feel so uneasy. '_Is it so easy for her moods to change? Or is it because of that voice she has following her around?'_

I grip the sides of the sink. Is it the same voice that I have in my dreams? That the other girls have had in their dreams? It would make sense if it was….but that's what scares me. Sayori seems the most brittle of all the girls. At least mentally. I need to find a way to aid her soon.

I heard laughter downstairs and it reeled me back into reality. I realized I've probably been up here for fifteen minutes or so, just lost in thought. I quickly ran to my room and changed into a random shirt just to give me the excuse of changing.

"There he is! Get lost in your own house?" Monika teases as I walk up to the table everyone was sitting at. I motioned to the shirt I was wearing.

"I was an idiot and got water all over myself, so I changed shirts." I lied. I heard Natsuki scoff from her side of the table.

"As if, I don't even know if _I've _ever taken forever to change a shirt."

I rolled my eyes and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, don't judge me!" This elicited some giggles from the girls. "How's the pizza anyways? Better be worth the millions I spent on it." I jokingly said to them. They all agreed that what they each had was delicious.

I took a bite of a piece and looked at the table. '_Monika…..Yuri…Natsuki…wait, where the hell is Sayori?'_

I darted my eyes around the room and saw no signs of her.

"Hey um-where's Sayori?" I ask out loud to anyone.

Natsuki motioned that she had food in her mouth, so I waited for her to stop chewing.

"She said she had to go grab something from her house."

I felt my anxiety well up again. '_What could she possibly need from her house?'_

I zoned out again thinking of what it could be. Monika must've sensed my distress because she got out of her seat and walked up me, laying her head on my shoulder.

"Everything okay, darling?" She sweetly asks me. I exhale and nod my head.

"Yeah, just hope she's doing okay. Today was a rough one for her." I meekly say.

I feel her hand rub my back.

"I'm sure today helped her. I could tell she was a little downcast today, but when we all started hanging out, she seemed happier. She'll be back soon."

I sighed and turned my face to hers. I locked my eyes on hers and smiled. '_She's right. Everything will be fine.'_ I pulled her face to mine for a quick smooch before picking up my piece of pizza.

"Thanks, sweetheart. You're probably right."

She beamed at me and motioned me to sit with the rest of the girls.

As we ate, we all just simply engaged in chatter. It's the first time I've ever sat and spent time with these girls like this. It was nice seeing them all in their most relaxed forms. Even Yuri seemed more open, sharing stories of her and her family.

I looked up at the clock and saw it was a little before nine. Sayori still hasn't returned. I pulled out my phone and shot her a message.

'_**Hey, hurry up and grab what you were getting! Pizza is getting cold!'**_

I put my phone back in my pocket and stood up. The girls wandered into the living area while I walked towards the kitchen. As I passed the island counter, I accidentally kicked something. I caught myself on the counter and looked down.

'_Sayori's backpack? When the hell did that get over here?'_

I bent down to move her bag. When I picked it up, a piece of paper slipped out. I tossed her bag towards the wall and grasped the parchment. I opened it and noticed it was a poem. A very _abstract _poem.

'**Get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head get out of my head**

**Get **

**Out **

**Of **

**My**

**Head**

**Get out of my head before I do what I know is best for you**

**Get out of my head before I listen to everything he said to me**

**Get out of my head before I show you how much I love you**

**Get out of my head before I finish writing this poem**

**But a poem is never actually finished**

**It just stops moving'**

My blood ran cold when I finished reading the poem. The parchment fluttered out of my hand and landed onto the table. I put my hands on the counter and pinch my eyes shut, trying to control my breathing.

'_Sayori couldn't have written this, right? It was just something that she saw on the internet and printed out. Monika was right, she's going to pull through because of us, right?'_

I looked at the clock. It was just about nine. The seconds hand was moving in almost slow motion. I turned to see the girls in the living room, all cheerful and carefree. I returned my attention to the poem.

It laid there on the counter, mocking me. Thoughts of Sayori crying and being depressed swarmed into my mind. I clutched my head and forced them back as much as I could. Then, I remembered something.

The rope. The rope I saw under her bed. She became flustered when she saw I noticed it. She wasn't flustered because it was embarrassing, she was flustered because she was afraid that I'd know _why she had it_.

Almost instantly the dream popped in my head. The dream of Sayori, hanging lifeless, her cold eyes bearing down on me. The first dream I was ever plagued with. The first dream _the voice _brought to me. Sayori hanging herself with a _rope_.

My mind blanked. I dashed to my front door, throwing regards to foot protection or coats out the window. I faintly heard confused questions from the girls as I left my house.

The cold winter air bit my skin as I sprinted across my lawn into hers. I slipped on some ice on her stairs and stumbled, hitting my head on the handrails. I blink away the stars and ignored the pain as I started pounding on her door.

"Sayori! Sayori, open up!" I cried. I tried the doorknob. '_Fuck, she locked the fucking door.'_

I desperately looked around for any ways of entrance. There was a window a few meters from the front door. I noticed a few loose bricks laying about, most likely from the small garden that was in front of her house. Without question, I picked up a brick and threw it with as much strength that I could muster at the window.

It immediately pierced the barrier, the sound ringing my ears and echoing out in the surrounding area. Unfortunately, the brick only smashed a decent-sized hole into the window, not shattering the entire thing like I would have wanted.

I stuck my arm through the broken hole, fumbling my fingers around for a window hatch. I could feel points of the shattered glass lightly piercing my skin, but I ignored it. I quickly found a knob that, once pull on, unlocked the window.

I pulled arm out swiftly from the hole and kicked open the window, more glass falling off the window and littering the carpeted floor on the inside. As I climbed in through the window, my foot got caught on the windowsill and I stumbled, falling onto my side inside the home.

Some bits of glass bit its way into my skin, but I brushed it off. I abruptly stood up and scanned my eyes around the home. No lights were on other than some light candles around the living area. It was quiet except for my haggard breathing.

I spotted the stairs and immediately broke into a sprint to the top floor.

I made my way to the top and dashed to Sayori's door. I immediately began pounding with my fists.

"Sayori, please! Open up!" I begged. I heard her sniffle and hold back a sob from the inside of the room but did not issue an answer. "Sayori, don't worry it's me! Just me, please open the door!" I wiggled the doorknob, but it too was locked.

She still ignored my call. She gave me no choice. I took a step back, shifting my body weight back to front, and brought my foot to her door.

The door flew open, smacking the wall in the process. I ran into her room and my heart got caught in my throat.

Sayori was standing a few feet over to me. She was on top of a chair in the middle of her room. Worst of all, she had the rope I saw fashioned into a noose around her neck. Her eyes were streaming with tears as she looked down at me.

I stretched out my hand, but I was too late.

In one swift move, Sayori kicked the chair out from under her feet.


	10. Bottled Inside

**A/N: **Sorry if I haven't been uploading as consistently as I usually do! I got a new work schedule for the month, so it's been a little harder to write! This is the last chapter I have that's completed right now so that should give me motivation to crank out the laptop to write. Enjoy!

…**..**

My heart stopped. Time seemed to slow down and my adrenaline kicked in. I surged forward and immediately grabbed her legs, forcing her to stay elevated so the rope didn't inflict too much damage.

She began kicking and clawing at me.

"Christian, let me go! Let me die." She sobbed.

I struggled holding on to her legs, my brain barely rationalizing what I can do. She wouldn't stay still long enough for me to leave her be for a few moments.

One of her legs broke free and struck my chest. I slightly stumbled, carrying her legs with me. She began to choke from me losing my grip. I immediately regained my composure and gripped her legs, holding her up higher and ignoring the burning sensation in my arms.

I began running through ways to get her out of the situation. Cut the rope. '_Yeah, but with what?'_. Untie the rope manually. '_She won't stay still long enough for me to do so.'_

As I was internally fighting back and forth for a solution, I heard stomping in my direction. I turned my head to see Monika dash into the room. She gasped at the sight, but I motioned for her aid.

"No time! G-get on the chair and untie the rope!" I ordered with difficulty. Without delay, she propped the chair up and began working on Sayori's binds.

Sayori kicked into overdrive, flinging her arms around, attempting to push Monika off the chair and make me lose my grip on her.

"No, stop! _Please!_" She shrieked, begging for us to leave her alone.

As I tried my best to keep Sayori still, Monika finished untying the noose, the rope falling loosely around Sayori's neck. Her weight crumpled onto mine. I grabbed her the best I could and brought into my lap as we fell to the ground together.

She softly hit my chest a few times before succumbing to her emotions, breaking down completely. She sobbed into my chest, muttering incoherent words. I gripped her tight and ran my fingers through her hair as she cried.

Monika dropped to her knees next to me, tears raining down her face. Only then did I notice that I was crying to. I tried to ignore it, but the adrenaline wore off, leaving me feeling vulnerable. Monika wrapped her arms around me and Sayori and we wept together.

"Why did you save me? I have nothing. It would've been better if you've let me go…" Sayori softly spoke in between sobs. I softly shushed her and made eye contact with Monika.

"Sayori, you're my best friend. There is no way in hell I'd ever let you go." I mutter to her. I softly rub her back and let her ride out her emotions.

It feels like we've been sitting for hours. We've all been sitting in silence. Sayori's cries have calmed down. Her breathing slowed and I realized she was asleep. I slowly moved my hand up to her neck and gently grazed her skin. Her neck looked raw from the rope burns and was bruising from when my grip was loosened, allowing her to choke. I gently and quietly, I scooped her up into my arms.

Monika followed me as we walked down her stairs and out of her house. When Monika closed the door, my gaze swept across the window I broke through and I pause.

"That's gonna take some explaining." I muttered. I felt Monika's hand on my back so I begin moving again. We continue through the cold, making my way inside.

When we entered my house, Natsuki and Yuri both had confused looks on their faces.

"Um, what the hell-" Natsuki started, but immediately quieted herself after seeing Monika put a finger to her lips, signaling her to keep the volume down.

I carefully laid Sayori down on one of the couches. I turned to Monika for a second.

"Dear, keep an eye on her, would you? I'm going to go grab some blankets." I quietly said. Monika simply nodded her head, her soft green eyes resting on the sleeping cinnamon roll.

I retreated up to my room. I rummaged quickly through my closet, finding spare pillows and some blankets. I claimed them and made my way back downstairs.

I approached Sayori and motioned Monika to help me. We softly lifted her head to lay the pillow underneath it, while draping a blanket over her, tucking her in.

We slowly stepped away as if backing away from a bomb. She didn't stir one bit, just lay there asleep. This is the first instance where I'm praising her being a heavy sleeper.

I sighed in relief and made my way into the kitchen. The girls followed in suite. I sat down at the table and buried my head into my hands.

Each of the girls took a seat without saying a word.

It was quiet for several minutes, until Monika broke the silence.

"Darling…" She said softly. I looked up to meet her eyes. Her hand carefully grazed my arm. I winced slightly and look to where she was touching. My arm was slightly scratched and bled from the glass I fell onto.

"I don't know how I do it, but I always hurt myself." I quietly mutter. Yuri quickly stands up and departs the table. I turn to question one of the girls, but Yuri returns just as fast with a first aid kit.

"Where….?" I start to question.

"I saw it in your bathroom when I used it earlier." Yuri stated. I nodded my head, slightly impressed with her memory. Monika grabbed the kit and open it, bringing out assortments of supplies.

"Is she okay…?" Natsuki quietly asks. I sigh heavily and look at Sayori from across the room.

"She….will be. In time. I think I might find out what the problem is soon though." I state dejectedly. Yuri and Natsuki nod their heads, knowing full well what I mean. I feel Monika dab something onto my arm and I wince.

"Sorry, dove. Just a little more." She says gently. Her angelic voice soothes me, making it easier to relax from the series of events that just occurred. I turn my attention back to Yuri and Natsuki.

"Be gentle with her for now. She's in a weird spot and feels helpless. She doesn't understand that we'll do anything, but that's not her fault. It's just what happens when you're mentally ill like that. But that being said, we need to be there for her."

They nod their heads wordlessly in agreeance. Monika does some finishing touches to my arm, bandaging some bigger spots. Apparently, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

She put away the supplies and closed the box, setting it off to the side. More silence fell upon the group. The girls must've seen the fatigue on my face, because the two of them stood up quietly.

"These events seem rather unpleasant, but I do believe it is time for me to take my leave." Yuri awkwardly states.

"Yeah, I shouldn't be out too late either, Dad would kill me." Natsuki mutters.

I nod my head and stand up.

"No worries, I understand. Sorry this ended weird like this." I said. The two of them shook their heads.

"Nah, don't worry about it, dummy. You have work to do anyways." Natsuki half-joked.

I broke a small smirk and walked up to them. They both gave me warm hugs and I walked them to the door.

"I had fun today, ladies. Can't wait for next time."

They both smiled and waved as they exited. I quietly shut the door and turned around, exhaling audibly.

"Baby, come here." I hear Monika call from the living room.

I turn off the kitchen lights while she turned on one of the lamps, ushering me to switch off the main light. After I did so, I approached her. She wrapped her arms tightly around me and fell into my chest. I lightly picked her up and laid down on the couch, softly placing her on top of me with her head on my chest.

She places soft kisses to my chest.

"Good job today, Christian. You're so brave. You acted so nobly. You saved her life." She quietly said.

I sighed and laid my cheek on her head.

"I was scared. I just knew I had to stop her. I know it wasn't one hundred percent her doing, either. The voice has been messing with her mind, too."

I felt Monika's hand grip the sides of my shirt.

"I figured she would be visited by him too….it was only a matter of time." She mutters. I nuzzle my cheek against her head and sigh.

"Yeah, I kind of expected it to happen too. Hopefully tonight I can end this, for all of us."

She turns her face to mine and gently kisses my chin. I look at Sayori one last time, watching her rest peacefully. '_I will save you, Sayori. No matter what.'_

I feel Monika shift her weight next to me as she drags a blanket that was sitting on the floor over us.

"Squeeze me and hold me, darling. We've got a best friend to save."

I wrap my arms around her body and pull her close.

"Damn right, my love. Damn-fucking-right."

Hopefully, like with Yuri, I would be able to connect with Sayori's dream. I mentally cross my fingers and hope for the best. I squeeze Monika close to me and let her warmth wash over my body. The sweet, fruity smell of her hair relaxed my body and I soon felt sleep claiming hold of my body.

…. 

**"I must say, you've greatly surpassed my expectations."**

My vision cleared and I realized I was standing in the clubroom. I peered around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. All the desks were lined up in a normal fashion, the blinds were open, revealing a beautiful sunny day. Only one thing seemed off: I was alone.

I took a step to the whiteboard. It was blank, the ivory surface reflecting a distorted version of myself. I traced my finger along it, confirming it was indeed a real surface.

"**She approaches. She knows what you've done, what you prevented."**

I flinched when I heard the voice. I quickly back away from the whiteboard, turning my head to gaze around the room. I was still alone, but I clearly heard The Voice.

"Where are you? When will you show yourself?" I call out with false confidence. This may be the third time I'm in a situation like this, but that doesn't make it any easier.

Silence. I began to feel irritation creep through me.

"Look, I'm _tired _of playing these games. You talking to me in my sleep and tormenting these girls is getting real fucking old."

Still nothing. I sigh in frustration. Suddenly, I heard sinister laughter that echoes throughout my body.

"**You fool, do you even realize the situation you are in? You cannot save everyone. In the end, you will be faced with a choice. Right now, you are confused, but when that time comes, you will be torn. You find safety in Her, but She is the one thing that is holding you back. The one thing preventing you from reaching your salvation."**

I feel the presence of the voice fade into obscurity. I think about calling out once more but refrain, knowing that I will receive no response. I exhale in silence, questioning what to do next, until I heard the sound of dry-erase markers behind me.

I slowly turn to see words slowly being written on the white board. The red letters bled, dripping down and giving the message a sinister look. Stress began to seep into my soul, so I tried to use controlled breaths to make it subside.

The writing stopped, revealing the words '**Get out of my head'**. It makes my blood run cold, reminding me of the poem I read from Sayori's bag before the incident.

The room fell silent once again, the only sound being my breathing, until I heard a light knock on the closet in the back of the room. I stand still and listen, unsure of what action to take. Once again, a knock was heard off the closet door, resonating throughout the room.

I took cautious steps towards the door, readying myself for anything. As I neared the door, I heard a soft whimper. This time, when the door knocked, I heard a voice.

"Hello…?" A soft-hearted voice spoke out.

Instinctively, I slowly opened the door. There before me stood a coral haired girl, dressed in the same pink long sleeve shirt and blue jeans that I saw her in before.

"Sayori?" I saw surprised, feeling slightly relieved to recognize a face.

She immediately plunged towards me, crushing me in her signature hug. Only this time, it was out of fear.

"C-Christian! Thank gosh you're hereee.." She lightly whimpers into my chest. I hug her back, lightly rubbing her back in the process.

"There, there, cinnamon bun. I got you. Now I'd love to sit and chit chat, but I think we both want to get the fuck out of here. So, what do you say we blow this joint so we can both wake up?" I confidently say to her.

She looks up at me with her glossy, blue orbs.

"W-what do you mean?" She shakily asks.

I pull away from her and straighten out her shirt.

"Look m'lady, I'd love to explain, but frankly this is around the time when these dreams take a weird turn."

As if on cue, I hear the classroom door open. I turn around quickly to see a tall, elegant woman walk in. She slowly turns to us and smiles.

She was taller than us, with long brown hair. She had soft brown eyes and a gentle smile. She had a simple black dress with sleeves that covered her arms. Every step could be heard from the _clack _of the pair of black heels she wore.

I took a slightly defensive position in front Sayori, waiting for the woman to address herself. The woman smiled warmly as us and outstretched her arms.

"Sayori, my dear! How nice to see you!" Her voice was angelic, each syllable was pronounced perfectly and just soft enough to lull you to sleep. "And you must be Christian."

I was a taken aback from how she knew my name. It clearly showed off me because she giggled.

"Stunned, are we? Don't worry now, I've been awaiting your arrival."

This is exactly the direction I did _not _want this to go. Why can't I just come in these dreams, grab my lady friends, and dip without confrontations?

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Er, what do you mean you've been waiting?'

She sighed happily and began pacing around the front of the room, her hands behind her back. Despite her regal-aura, she made the air seemed incredibly still, keeping me on edge.

She paused for a moment and slightly turned her head, her eyes gazing at me.

"Is it possible that you have no idea? He's brought you here several times before, you know."

_Who did? Does she mean The Voice_? As if she could read my mind, she started her elegant laugh while turning to face me.

"I can already tell by the look on your face that you know exactly who I'm talking about. He hasn't told you anything, has he?" She coyly says.

I shift uncomfortably where I stand.

"Er, no he hasn't. I've been _trying _to figure out, but I keep ending up in these hellish scenarios."

She giggles once more and takes a step towards us. I feel Sayori grip my shirt from behind me and lean up to my ear.

"Christian, what is she talking about?" She whispers to me. I turn my head slightly to her.

"I'll explain this all when we get out of here, okay?" I quietly say to her. I turn my attention back to Sayori's mom.

"Who is he?" I sternly ask.

She giggles at me which increases my ire.

"Well, that's not exactly my place to say, now is it? I'm certain if he hasn't shared that information with you yet, he has his reasons. Give it time, you will know soon enough." She winks at me.

I feel a shiver go down my spine. I furrow my eyebrows and glare at the woman.

"Look, I don't exactly understand what the hell is going on, but I sure as hell am done playing these games. I'm losing patience and all I want to do is help my dear friend here. So, if you'd excuse me, I'd like to take my leave."

Before I could move, she gleefully chortles.

"Do you honestly believe that getting out of this encounter will ensure everyone's survival? Or do you still believe that the Perfectionist is there to help you?"

_The perfectionist? Monika? What does she have to do with anything?_

I take a step forward.

"Monika? What do you mean, what does she have to do with this?"

The regal maiden giggles again and sighs.

"Well, that's one more thing for you to find out. Some things are best untouched until it's the right time. Just know…" She leans forward, lowering her voice to a little above a whisper, "….not everything is as it seems."

Something about the way she said that really rubbed me the wrong way. Keeping the identity of the voice from me, implying that she's one of the forces behind all these nightmares, and most of all, bringing up _Monika _in themanner she did.

I grabbed Sayori's wrist to which she gently yelped and I started walking towards the door, the cinnamon bun in tow.

"We're leaving. I'm getting real tired of this shit." I aggressively say. We depart the room, letting the door close behind us, the sound echoing through the halls.

The school seemed to be a shade whiter than usually, making me slightly squint as I angrily stomp to wherever the hell we can go.

Sayori remained silent throughout us walking, just following me as I pulled her along. I didn't like how quiet this whole place was. It was easy to put thoughts in my head and that's something I absolutely did _not _want to deal with right now.

We reach the stairwell at the end of the hall and…I sigh in absolute frustration.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I complain out loud.

We were most likely on the third floor, if this dream copies at all how the real-world club is. That being said, you take stairs _down _to leave the front entrance of a building on the bottom floor, right? Kind of hard to do when there is _only a staircase that's leading up_.

I experimentally tap my foot on the ground where a stairwell _would _lead downstairs and feel solid floor.

"Great, only way is up I guess." I say with irritation bleeding into my voice. I feel Sayori's hand land on my shoulder and I turn my head to her.

"Don't worry, Christian! I'm not entirely sure _what _is happening right now or what that lady is talking about with all that stuff, but I'm sure you'll get us out of here! I believe in you!" She chirps at me, with her signature goofy smile that's sure to brighten anyone's day.

I feel myself soften a little bit and I pat her hand that is resting on my shoulder.

"Thanks, Sayori. This shit just sucks is all. I want to get you out of here." I softly tell her.

"And we will do _just _that!" She cheerfully agrees with me.

I motion her to follow me and we make our way up the stairs.

We reach the top of the stairwell and was met with a singular door. Its brown, rusted look made me weary to touch it, but I pushed through and grabbed its weathered handle.

The door creaked open and led us into the outside. The heavy door swung shut behind us and we both flinched. I looked around the roof to take in my surroundings, feeling a soft, warm breeze blow around me.

It was pretty basic, just being a flat, cemented surface with four small walls on either side. We walked to the end of the balcony and looked over the wall. We were on the side that faced the front of the school, for I recognized the main courtyard that I've come to know. The sun seemed to have gone down, the world being painted a light orange showing it was dusk. I thought was kind of strange, because it was just midday.

"So, uh….what now?" Sayori asked me with uncertainty.

I scanned the area around me.

"Well er-I'm not entirely sure. The other two girls kind of had….conflicts. When those conflicts were resolve, the dream kind of just ended and we woke up."

Sayori tilted her head at me.

"Other girls….?"

I sighed and turned to face her.

"Yes, Yuri and Natsuki. Look, I'm going to dumb this down for you." I start.

"Hey now, meanie!" She says while poking my cheek.

I chuckle and roll my eyes.

"Look, I didn't mean it like that, just it's a lot of information. For some reason, some…. entity…. has been messing with each of you girls' minds. It like…. brings out the worst in you, you know? Somehow whenever we dream at the same time, I get put in a dream with you except that it's incredibly _real. _We share the dream and there was some sort of conflict, which is why I'm confused right now."

Sayori nodded her head but adopted a confused expression.

"So…..we are dreaming together? Where are we in the real lifes?"

I gaze over top the roof walls.

"We're in my house right now. You're on my couch and I'm asleep with Monika on the adjacent couch so you weren't sleeping in a room alone."

Her confusion didn't go away.

"Why would you have to stay asleep with me in the same room? What happened to me." The way she asked the question seemed more like she was _confirming_.

I dreaded this question. I felt it best to not answer for now, given the situation.

"I'll tell you in time, when we wake up. For now, just know that all your friends care about you and we will take care of you twenty-four seven, whenever and however you need us."

Her confused expression softened a bit into an expression of hurt, almost like she knew exactly what I was talking about. I know she's an airhead, but I need to remember that we are here for a reason, and she knows herself better than anyone.

I gently squeezed her arm and sighed. She opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the squeaking of the rooftop door. We both abruptly turned to see the lady from before walking onto the roof, closing the door behind her.

"Enjoying the view?" She asks sweetly.

I ignore her question and take a step in front of Sayori.

"Look, ma'am-" She cut my off.

"Asuka. The names Asuka, honey"

"Er-right. Look, _Asuka_, I'm not exactly sure what's going on here, but we don't want any part of it."

She sways from side to side and smiles wide.

"Honey, I'm very aware you don't know what's going on. That's part of the problem. You _should _know what's going on. But I'm not blaming you or anything. After all, you have managed to get through the other encounters with just physical injuries, freeing the girls. You exceeded what we thought you could ever do, and we commend you for that. Unfortunately, that also prevents you from finding out the truth."

She finished her sentence and twists her wrists, a thick, brown rope unfurling out of each of her sleeves. She takes slow steps forward.

"You already know you are in another reality, one that isn't your own. You have no memories, but we can heal you. Your sight has been blinded by the Perfectionist and her club."

She flicked her right hand and the rope dangling hurls forward, attaching to my left wrist. As it coils around my hand, it immediately tightens, lurching me forward onto my knees with my arm outstretched. Sayori whimpers in terror and I grunt from the position I'm forced to be in.

"These girls have clouded your judgement, forcing you to live out a reality you don't belong in. The Perfectionist has gone through great lengths to keep you by her side. Yes, she explained her motives to you in the beginning, but what she has _kept _from you is she is holding you back from you being released into your own reality."

I felt a ping in my heart as she said that. _Monika? My love is keeping me tied here, keeping me from finding out who I was before? Isn't she content with helping me heal?_

I gaze upwards at the woman and she flicks her second wrist, this one coils around my abdomen and locking me in place.

"Stop!" Sayori cries out.

The woman merely smiles and chuckles.

"You know, you should've let tonight play out. I know it would've been hard for you as a friend to watch the events unfold, but it would've saved us so much time." She takes her eyes off me to look at Sayori.

I could feel the atmosphere shift around as Sayori digested what the woman said.

"You were the voice in my head?" I heard Sayori say in disbelief.

The woman started laughing, squeezing her hands into fists which made the ropes slightly tighten, making me groan in pain.

"I'm not going to take credit entirely. It was also Him, but I was there as well. Like I said, dear, we have a plan. Of course, this one's loyalty to friends and family gets in the way. But there is _always_ a work around."

I heard a slight whipping sound above me. I turn my head upwards to see a small dark cloud around five feet above me. In a flash, a third rope shoots out, coiling itself around my neck. I felt my eyes practically bulge out from the force as my breathing was immediately slowly becoming constricted.

I heard Sayori cry out from behind me. The woman chuckled once more, relishing in our dismay. She slowly and intimidatingly struts up to me, kneeling down to my level.

"This didn't have to be this way, you know." She says sharply. "All we were trying to do was play out the script as it was meant to be. Your presence altered how the code was running, but the same problems remained intact. All you had to do was idle around until the events played out and you would be free."

I tried using my right hand to rip off the rope, but I felt that wrist being constricted behind my back. I hissed in frustration.

"Asuka, let me-_urg_-let me fucking go." I grunt out. She chuckles and stands up.

"I will, but first I need to take care of your_ friend _here."

Asuka stands up and walks past me. My body turns with her movements, making me face the wall where Sayori is. My eyes met the cinnamon bun's and I saw fear in them.

"Look, my dear, it's nothing personal! There's just specific guidelines that these systems need to abide by and well, we just need you to _hang around _so to speak."

Sayori squeezes her hands into fists and glares at the woman, surprising me in the process. I didn't know she was capable of such an emotion.

"Let. Christian. Go." She slowly spits out.

All around us, the environment started to change. The sky immediately darkened, and with it, cold precipitation. The wind picked up, blowing all around us.

Asuka's composure faltered and in this instance I realized she wasn't in control. I looked up to Sayori and her angered expression had hints of surprise.

"W-what?" Asuka stuttered out. "What are you doing, girl?"

Sayori stood up straight, showing a confidence I've never seen her wear.

"I said, let him go." Without breaking eye contact with the woman, she points at me.

Asuka began laughing softly.

"Why are you _fighting _this? This is what you were made for! Just give up!"

Sayori gripped the sides of her head in frustrations. She started to shake slightly, and as she did, the rain picked up. Asuka took a step back in shock.

"What is wrong with-" Asuka began to say before being interrupted.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Sayori screamed, thunder echoing throughout the world.

The hairs on my arms stood up and before I knew it, lighting began striking around the roof, leaving the smell of sulfur. My eyes opened wide as the storm picked up, realizing it was matching Sayori's emotions.

'_This is her mind. This is a literal physical representation on what her mind is. Changing from beautiful midday to thunderstorms in a matter of moments.'_

Sayori slowly looked up to the woman, her blue eyes sparkling lightly, almost electric.

I felt my ropes loosen just slightly, as Asuka shifted a majority of her attention to the unstable stormy girl. I quickly and clumsily clawed off the rope attached to my throat, coughing violently in the process. I detached the rope across my abdomen and hands, dropping myself to the cement.

I took deep breathes as I turned my head up to focus on the ladies. The rain was coming down hard now, making it hard to make out the scene unfolding before me.

"Stop _fighting _me, Sayori! You're making everything worse!" Asuka growled towards Sayori, her sleeves now producing more ropes.

Sayori took a dangerous step towards the woman.

"No. You hurt my best friend. You hurt my _literature club_. I am tired of the clouds hanging above my head. No more will you hurt me."

Asuka flicks her wrist and the dark cloud appeared in the air once more, this time over Sayori. As the girl glances up, the rough object shoots down, wrapping around her neck. It slowly lifted her up, Sayori's feet kicking wildly.

"Sayori!" I scream, getting to my feet and sprinting towards her. Asuka turns around and brings a fist to my chest with surprising strength, sending me flying backwards. I rolled on the wet concrete a few times until I was laying on my stomach.

I slowly pushed myself up and helplessly watched as Sayori dangled from a rope, the second time I've had to witness the sight. I was too far away at this point to stop it. I felt helplessness and fear strike my heart.

"Let it play out, little one." Asuka sneers at Sayori. "This is what you were destined to do."

Sayori's hands desperately clawed at her throat, failing miserably to free herself. Asuka began to laugh as the thunder boomed, lightning cracking the sky and making her look like the evilest villain I could imagine.

The wind started to pick up, leaves being blown all around at frantic speeds. I turned my gaze upwards to see the clouds swirling overhead. The clouds directly over us darkened tenfold, lightning flashing and threatening to crash down.

This must've alarmed Asuka as well, for she turned her gaze upward. That's when I heard Sayori gurgle something. I turned my gaze back to my best friend and her skin began to sparkle.

Asuka saw this too and back away a few steps.

"What the…" She mutters, confused.

Sayori then clamps her arms against her collar and gives out a shrill battle cry.

"LET. ME. GO!"

Thunder boomed overhead, and the biggest lightning bolt I've ever seen streaked down, blinding me and whitening the entire roof. The bolt struck Asuka, causing her to shriek out at a deafening tone.

When my eyes focused again from the blinding flash, I looked up towards Sayori. Asuka was nowhere to be seen, and Sayori was on her hands and knees, coughing and breathing wildly.

The clouds still remained overhead but the thunder subsided, just bringing down a light rain. I struggled to get to my feet and stumbled towards Sayori.

I knelt down to her, dropping to one knee, and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shuddered from my touch.

"D-d-did we do it?" She stuttered out.

I did a sweep of the roof with eyes, seeing nothing. I sighed in relief and returned my gaze to the girl.

"Yes. Yes, we did." I tell her. I gently grip her arm and help her to her feet. She immediately falls into me, squeezing me tightly.

"Christian, I don't know what came over me. I just got so _angry _like all these bottled up emotions just finally exploded out of me." Sayori said, sounding extremely astonished and worried.

I chuckle lightly at her comment.

"I'm going to be honest, when your emotions triggered weather change and you were all serious and shit, it startled the _fuck _out of me."

She giggled lightly against me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. But this is all a dream, right? Well like a real dream thingy…" She lightly rubs her throat. "…so this didn't really happened?"

I listen to the sound of soft rain on the cement and think before giving a response.

"In a technical sense, we're just sleeping on the couch. But we both know what happened here. It was more real than I would ever be comfortable with."

She pushes away from the hug and straightens herself out. Her neck was bruised and raw, similar to how it looked in the real world, just worse. Now that I think of it….how was she able to scream out if her throat was being constricted?

She giggles, bringing me out of my rambling thoughts.

"Huh?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"You had a funny look on your face. That was it." She simply says.

I roll my eyes at her and smirk.

"It's always the simple things for you, isn't it? Are you feeling any better?"

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. The light rain subsided, and the clouds began to part. Somehow the sun was back in the sky again, shining down and basking our wet bodies with its warmth.

'_I guess a beautiful sunny day represents Sayori's mind at its best.' _I think to myself.

As if on cue, she opens her eyes with a smile.

"Yes, I feel happy. Happy clouds, happy clouds!" She says while bouncing in place. I chuckle at her antics and motion for her to sit down with me with our backs against the wall.

Surprisingly, we were already dry. I sighed and laid my head against the wall.

"Soon we're going to wake up." I tell her. She scooches closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder.

"That's good, right?" She asks.

I gently nod my head.

"I mean, Asuka vanished from your crazy lightening spree, it's sunny again and you feel better. I think it's mission accomplished."

She giggles at me and squeezes my arm.

"Well, then I say let us sleep!"

I chuckle at her and close my eyes. Sure enough, sitting in the sun and resting after the weird exchange that just happened was enough for me to feel my consciousness slip away, bring me back to reality.

…..


	11. The Fourth Wall

My eyes shot open. I felt I was laying on my back with Monika resting on my chest. I lightly move her off me, succeeding in not disturbing her. I wiggled my way out of her legs and bounced off the couch.

I silently stretched and looked around the room. The clock read it was three in the morning. Monika lightly complained in her sleep, but I ignored it for the time being. I drew my gaze to Sayori. She was still sound asleep, a small smile on her face.

'_Well, looks like another mission accomplished.'_ I think to myself.

I walk to my downstairs bathroom. I flip on the light switch and gaze into the mirror. I looked _worn out. _I had minor bruises around my neck and wrists, presumably from the ropes. My face was flushed, and my skin looked damp like I've been sweating. I turned on the facet and washed my face.

I dried off and walked back out into my living room. Sayori was still asleep, but when I laid eyes on Monika, she was sitting up with her arms crossed, looking at me. I raised an eyebrow at her, confused on what she was doing.

"Er-what's wrong?" I quietly ask.

She gave me a cute pout and patted the couch.

"You just left my side. Come back."

I chuckled and smirked, then the thoughts of what Asuka said popped into my head. _'Is she really keeping me here?'_

I saw Monika's cute smirk morph into a worried look.

"What's wrong, Christian?"

I silently chastised myself and pushed the thought out of my head. I lightly shook my head a forced a small smile at the princess.

"Nothing, sweetheart. Just a crazy dream was all."

I walk over to the couch and lay down, Monika practically climbing on top of me to lay down and keep me in place. I grunt slightly but wrap my arms around her, having her coo sweetly.

"What happened in the dream?" She said quietly while placing kisses on my face.

I recalled how the dream was, how I met up with Sayori in the classroom, us proceeding to the roof and Sayori's emotions literally causing lightning strikes that saved us. I hesitated when bringing up Asuka and what she told me but quickly found a way around it. Monika simply nodded her head while I talked without interrupting.

I finished and sighed, rubbing my hand along Monika's back.

"That sounds pretty wild, Christian." She says. I just stay quiet, feeling it was rhetorical. "Must've been a weird experience. So, why are you leaving out some details?" She says. I feel myself tense up and my heart rate picked up.

'_Shit!'_ I thought to myself.

"Er-what?" I stutter out. She lightly giggles and sighs.

"I can read you like a book, you know. I _am _president of the literature club."

I mentally rolled my eyes at her lame pun and sighed.

"It's nothing, really." I half-heartedly mutter. I turn my head and see her eyes staring at me, her face unamused. I sighed and continue.

"Just the woman that was there was saying some weird things, about the dreams, about me…about my reality." I told her.

She studied my face but said nothing, so I broke the silence.

"That's really all." I stated, which isn't a lie.

"What did they say about your reality?" She cautiously asks.

I hesitate to answer. I _really _didn't want to explain how apparently Monika is keeping me hostage in this 'game'.

"Just how everything I've been doing is for nothing, how I just need to let the events of what's going on play out and I'll go home." It's not _technically _a lie, just leaving out some major parts.

I could tell she wasn't completely satisfied with my answer but chose not to push me. I just felt her snuggle up _extremely close_. She squeezed herself onto me like she couldn't get close enough.

"Please don't let go." She whispered to me. I was a little shocked at what she said.

"Urm-I won't" I tell her with uncertainty.

"Christian, I know what she was saying. I know they were saying that I'm the problem, I'm not stupid. I know they were saying that I'm holding you here."

I was at a loss for words. Could she really see through me that bad? How would she know what was said anyways?

I cleared my throat and squeezed her to me.

"I'm sorry I beat around the bush…I just didn't want to make it uncomfortable if I brought it up. I still don't understand enough about this place and she clearly is working with whatever forces are behind all these….incidents." I say. I glance down and see Monika's eyes staring off across the room, looking vacant.

She was quiet for several moments before speaking.

"Did you believe anything she said?" Her tone was sharp and guarded. I need to choose my words _carefully._

"I don't think so. It was just so…. asinine. I don't think I could believe it." I tell her truthfully.

I see her gaze soften but still stay stuck in the distance. I softly run my hand along her back, and she falls more into my body.

"I already told you I wasn't going anywhere, that doesn't stop now." I softly tell her. I kiss the top of her head and relish in her warmth. "we'll talk more in the morning when Sayori wakes up and see what our next plan of action is."

I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight and I close my eyes. I didn't fall asleep right away, though. The events of the dream kept playing in my mind. I forced myself to relax and bask in the warmth of Monika. Eventually, I was able to fall into a slumber.

…..

_** Doki Doki Literature Club….**_

….

My eyes shot open. I _recognized _it. Whatever echoed in my mind, I _understood _it somehow.

I sat up on the couch and realized that Monika and Sayori were already awake, dancing in the kitchen to some music. I sat and took a deep breath. I still don't know a lot of shit, but things are _slowly _coming back to me. It's overwhelming.

I didn't want anyone to notice. Not yet, anyways. I just remember small names right now. I don't think I can see faces but…..if I saw a picture or two, maybe I would. I pinched my eyes shut and concentrated on what relayed over and over in my mind.

The more I concentrated to recall the word, the more things faded. I felt myself getting increasingly frustrated. '_Fuck, fuck, no come on!'_ I yell inside my head. I'm getting so close to figuring myself out, I can feel it.

I felt the weird, familiar sensation fade to obscurity in my mind. I felt my frustrations grow. I put my face in my hands and sigh exasperatedly.

I hear the music lower. I look up and see the girls looking at me with mixed expressions.

"Mornin'!" I say out loud to them, immediately recovering from my sour expression. They both wave and Sayori bounds over to me.

"Christian! Were you there? Do you remember everything? How are you feeling?" She excitedly screams questions at me. I wince at her advances and stand up next to her, putting my hands on her shoulders to hold her in place.

"Geez, girl, did you snort sugar this morning? Yes, I remember everything and I'm feeling okay." I plainly tell her. She giggled and crushes me in a hug.

"Yay! I'm so happy you're okay! Oh-oh! We're making breakfast! Come get some!" She squeals while practically dragging me into the kitchen. I pry her grip off me and straighten myself out.

"Okay, I will, just let me wash up, okay?" I tell her while turning, not waiting for a response.

I enter the bathroom and splash water on my face, looking at myself in the mirror. I couldn't get whatever just happened in my sleep out of my mind. I _remembered _some things, some things from my real life before I ended up here. It has to be connected to the dreams with the girls.

I dry my hands off with a towel and idle in front of the sink absentmindedly. The three girls are down, right? What next is there to do?

I sigh again and leave the bathroom, trying my hardest not to look like a lot of shit was on my mind.

Upon entering the kitchen, I'm greeted with a wide variety of breakfast options. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, you name it. The smell assaulted my nostrils, filling them with a strong odor of eggs and bacon. Sayori was busy digging into everything and stacking her plate up high. Monika stood still, smiling sweetly at me and holding out a plate to me.

I gingerly take it and return a forced smile in return. I turn to the counter of food and realize how much I _wasn't _hungry. I had too much stuff on my mind to think properly. I could tell that Monika sensed my hesitation, so I pushed through and grabbed a little bit of everything.

Fortunately, the food was amazing, and it was probably a good idea to eat. I've been through a lot this week and I could feel my mental state just being drained from the strenuous activities I've had to deal with.

I poked around at my food a bit before Sayori spoke up to us.

"So, what are we going to do today?" She cheerfully says, looking back and forth at us. I exchange looks with Monika and shrug my shoulders.

"I'm not entirely sure, I don't really think that far ahead." I say while taking a drink.

"Well….we could always go to the town, you know? Walk around and spend the day in public." Monika suggests.

Sayori seems ecstatic about the idea. I feel indifferent. I could honestly do with just staying around and recharging.

"Yes, that's perfect! We could go shopping, walking, EXPLORING!" She exclaims and practically explodes out of her seat. I crack a small smile and sigh.

"That sounds like it could be exciting, but I think I'm going to sit this one out." I halfheartedly mutter. The girls both look at me, the excitement slowly fading from their eyes. I immediately put my hands up in defense. "Don't get me wrong, you guys go out and have fun. I'm just going to stay back and relax. I need a recharge, especially after how this past week has gone."

Monika scoots her chair closer to mine and puts her hand on my arm.

"Are you sure you don't wanna come? We would love your company~" She cutely says. I chuckle and pat her hand before moving my arm out from under hers.

"Yes, yes, I know it would be nice, but I just need to do something low energy, you know?". Monika goes to protest but I stand up, throwing away my uneaten food and placing my plates in the sink.

"I'm going to go wash up and relax, I'll see you guys later! Have fun!" I give a two-fingered salute and retreat upstairs.

….

I lay back in the tub and sigh. The warm water covered me almost completely, with just my upper shoulders, head and toes peaking above the water, with my arms falling on either side of the tub.

I found a bath bomb that was on in the cabinet and tossed it in, the bubbles rising and turning a nice shade of blue. I'm not really one for baths, but I always relished them when I was stressed or not feeling well.

I felt body relaxing and my pores opening up. The heat really soothed me, and I felt my stress slowly fading. I closed my eyes, focused on listened to the soft sounds of water droplets from the faucet and the smooth sounds of the water lightly slapping up against the tub whenever I made small movement. This is _exactly _what I needed.

I just wanted to sit and think about things while being relaxed and less stressed than usual. My mind wandered to the weird dream I had. Well, it was more of just me hearing things in nothingness. It was so strange how those names or terms felt _so_ familiar.

I try to recall everything the best I could. All I was given were a few words, maybe they're even the key to unlocking everything else.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a light knock on the door as it opened.

"Hey, darling. Just wanted to pop in to say bye before we left…" Monika said while poking her head.

I open one eye and look at her. She timidly walks in and sits on the toilet next to me. She looked a little awkward and I wasn't entirely sure why. I hear her audibly sigh and shift in her seat. I turn my head to look at her.

"Er, what's wrong?" I ask her.

She shyly looks at me, her face clearly showing a bit of discomfort.

"I just…am I being too much? Am I too clingy?" She sheepishly asks. I raise an eyebrow at her and stifle back a chuckle.

"Are you _too much_? Where the hell did that come from?" I ask her while slightly smirking.

She played with her hair in her hands and didn't look at me directly.

"Well, you just seem a little off and didn't want to spend time us today, so I just felt like maybe I was involving myself too much…."

I rolled my eyes and reached my hand across to grab hers.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" I jokingly tell her. She turns her face to me and has a flushed look. "It's just been a _very _long week and I need to time to just like…. unwind and figure shit out, you know? Just a day to stay at home and relax, nothing on you." I tell her while kissing her hand.

She smiles slightly and gives a relieved sigh.

"Okay, I'm sorry if I get too emotional or whatever, I just don't want to lose you. There's been a lot of stress and I've been worried sick about you handling all of these girls…" She falters off.

I pull on her hand to have her get closer to me. I grab her chin and pull her head down, placing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Trust me, I'm very aware that it's stressful. I guess I was just chosen for it after you brought me here." I squeeze her hand. "But, it's all worth it. I mean, I've survived this long, haven't I? Kick some ass, get some love from a beautiful girlfriend, not a big gig in my opinion."

She giggles at me and rested her forehead on my shoulder for a moment.

"Well, I don't want to hold Sayori up too much. I told her I was using the bathroom, so I don't want to be suspicious."

I chuckle and pull her face up to mine to lay a passionate kiss to her lips. She carefully falls into it and pours her affection to me. I pull away and smile, while she fake pouts.

"Time for you to go, sweetheart." I softly say. She huffs and stands up, slowly walking to the door.

"I know, I know. Text me, okay? Tell me if you go anywhere or do anything." She says while going through the door, blowing me a kiss in the process.

I happily sigh and lay back into the tub, closing my eyes and reclaiming the relaxed state I was in before.

'_I hope they have a good time out there'_ I think to myself. I decided to take my time in the bath to close my mind and relish in the warmth. I have the whole day to myself to figure everything out.

I stayed in the tub for about half an hour before reluctantly getting out due to the water growing lukewarm. I dried myself off and brushed my teeth. I looked over my bruises and luckily at this point they were starting to fade.

I went to my room and threw on some casual clothes, just a pair of jeans and a red t-shirt, and laid down in my bed. I stared and the ceiling and took a deep breath.

'_There's got to be a way for me to channel some memories, or at least be able to learn more things of my other life.' _I think to myself. I close my eyes and try to remember some of the things that were whispered in my mind.

'_Doki Doki Literature Club'_

My eyes shot open.

'_Wait a second, Doki Doki Literature Club? Like OUR literature club? Monika did say this was technically a game, and that she brought ME in from my own reality…'_

I jumped out of bed and hopped into my chair at my desk where my computer was. I power on the device and waited for it to start up.

'_Why do I feel anxious?' _I think to myself as I take a deep breath to attempt to cool down the uncomfortable feeling welling up in my chest.

The monitor displayed my home screen, showing me it was ready to be used. I opened up a web browser and searched for anything related to 'Doki Doki Literature Club'. I scanned the results and scrolled for several minutes, not finding anything that was one hundred percent solely what I was looking for.

I sighed in frustration and minimized the browser. I placed my face into my hands and took a deep breath.

'_Come on, think, it's a game, right? Where the hell would a game be kept?'_

I scanned my desktop screen for anything, reading all the folders and files. An icon caught my eye, some sort of game launcher. I clicked on it to open it up.

The main screen was some sort of home screen, flashing different icons for assortments of games. I found a 'Game's Library' tab and decided to take a look around there. Apparently whoever I took over in this game played a shit ton of games, for there was a plenty to choose from.

As I looked through the list, I still saw no signs of a 'Doki Doki Literature Club'. I mean, I guess that would make sense, right? Being able to play the game that you were stuck in would seem pretty crazy.

Before I closed out of the launcher, I noticed some greyed-out text that read '**{REDACTED}**' at the bottom of the list. I double-clicked on the text and a small window popped up.

'Error: Could not access file **{REDACTED}**'

I frustratingly sigh and close out the window and attempt to open the file again a few more times. The same error window keeps popping up over and over, but each time it does, the border around the small box is a little more obscured.

Confusion spreads through me as I tried to process why the change could be happening. A sudden thought popped into my head as I racked my brain for an answer.

_"She is holding you back from you being released into your own reality." _

I felt a bead of sweat start to drip down my forehead.

'_Monika…..no, Asuka was clearly lying. She's just apart of whatever the hell was happening within the girls, trying to stop this world from being its own reality, right?' _My mind wandered to Monika's reaction to the dream. '_No, she wouldn't be helping me with the girls if she wanted to keep me here, right? Or maybe…..maybe helping me with the girls is EXACTLY what she needs to keep this reality held in place, separate from the game itself.'_

I froze. '_No. No I'm just paranoid, I'm just a little stupid idiot who got to invested in the lore of a game, downloaded some files I shouldn't have and now I'm stuck trying to fix it.'_

I sat up straight in my chair. Why the fuck did I just think that? How did I know I downloaded some files I shouldn't have?

I could feel my heart rate increasing, my mind starting to run to all sorts of places without any destination or purpose. I instinctively slapped my own face, feeling the sting linger and taking a few deep breathes.

"Good god man, keep it together." I say out loud. "Everything is going to be okay. I mean, Sayori was the last one! I helped all three of the girls and now we should be free from whatever the fuck is in our heads."

As the words left my mouth, I felt a nervous tingle shiver down my spine. Even though that's what I wanted to believe, something in my head told me that wasn't the case. Why do I feel so uneasy if I know I saved the girls?

I resituated myself in my chair and once again took hold of the mouse. I right-clicked on the **{REDACTED}** text and brought up the options menu so I could access the games files.

A new file window popped up and inside were an assortment of folders. One folder in particular caught my eye, it reading 'Characters'. I double-clicked on it and inside it….was empty.

"Oh, for fucks sake," I frustratingly mutter. I backtracked to browse the other folders. I saw one that read 'game' and decided to check in there. Inside I found a single file, which read "My Route".

"My route? The fuck?" I mumble to myself as I open it, a document popping up onto the screen.

"_I feel like this might actually be the one. This might be my chance. I could feel a change in the whole system due to the code he's been downloading! This is my time to finally get what I deserve! Not Natsuki, not Yuri, not Sayori, but ME. I've been sending him little text boxes in-game to gauge his response. He's sooo handsome, and sweet, and kind! I mean, from what I can gather. I was able to access his webcam on his computer a week ago and he seems pretty normal. One would call his lifestyle boring, but I like how he I lives. Simple, takes care of his animals and plays games. He also plays drums! I watched him fool around a little bit too! He also swears a whole lot, but I don't mind. I like the way he says words. He's definitely going through something right now and I bet its girl related, but I'm going to fix that! God, I sound like a stalker right now, don't I? Anyways, I think this is finally the last push I need to finally get the route I so rightfully deserve! I'm coming, Christian! Or well, I guess YOU'RE coming. Last thing I need to do before such an arrangement is erase all traces of, well anything I guess, not that he'll understand enough to find out these things but still, who knows? I can't wait to finally have my love 3."_

My chair fell over as I stumbled out of it, grasping my hair into my hands and pacing around my room.

"Holy shit. Holy shit. What the fuck, what the hell. What the actual hell is going on?" I mutter repeatedly in pure disbelief. As if sheer coincidence, my phone starts to ring from across the room. I whip my head over towards the noise and feel anxiety well through me. I cautiously approach the device as I look at the screen, seeing Monika's name.

"Oh god, does she know? Does she know that I know that she knows?" I reach for my phone and pick it up. I contemplate answering before ultimately setting it to silent, ignoring the call.

I drop my phone to my bed and take a seat on the mattress, placing my face in my hands.

"Am I fucking prisoner in this game?!" I half shout out to the room. I groan into my hands and start to lightly knock onto my head.

"Come on, think. What the hell am I going to do?"

My phone buzzes and I glance at it. I had a message from Monika. I slowly pick up the phone and read it.

"Hey you, we were walking around the shopping center and I just wanted to check up on you."

I re-read her text a few times. I took a deep breath and sent back a reply.

"Well have fun there! And I'm doing fine, just cleaning up the place."

I figured it was best for a simple white lie right now. I lock my phone and toss it away from me.

"If this is all apart of a game, then there's bound to be boundaries, right?" I say out loud. I sit up and peer out my window. The world looked one hundred percent realistic. I grab my phone and exit my room, heading downstairs.

I step into the living room and turn on my tv, then go to my front door and throw on my shoes.

"Best have some noise in here for when the girls get back, slow them down a bit."

I take a deep breath and head outside.

….

The weather was much nicer today. The sun was out so the temperature was well over freezing, so the snow was much less than previously. The pavement glistened, some puddles littered here and there throughout the streets and sidewalks, twinkling from the sunlight.

There wasn't much activity happening outside, most people either more inward towards the towns center or just staying indoor, which is quite a shame. If it wasn't for the stressful and confusing circumstances, I'd have loved to spend my time outside.

I wasn't really sure where I was going. In fact, I didn't really know _where _to go. I just needed to test my limits on where I could venture out to.

I felt my pocket buzzing and I dug my hand in to retrieve my phone, Natsuki's name reading on the screen. I swipe my finger and answered.

"Hey, what's up?" I carefully say.

"Hey there, dummy. How's Sayori?" I hear her ask, sounding like she had food in mouth.

I felt slightly relieved, almost like I expected her to just come out and know everything I just found out.

"Um, Helloooo?" I hear her say.

"Oh shit, sorry I was just watching someone cross the street." I lied. "Yeah she's doing perfectly fine now! The little….dream thing happened again and we fixed everything."

I hear the sounds of crunching a wrapper in the phone.

"Well it's good to know you aren't _completely _useless."

I smirk and lightly roll my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah."

She chuckles on her end and grunts like she was moving around.

"So, what are you doing then, anyways? Where are the girls?" She quizzically asks.

I hesitate before answering, knowing I just should just keep all my knowledge quick and simple for the time being.

"Well, the girls went out to explore the town or whatever. I'm just taking a walk around the neighborhood for now."

She stays silent for a second before responding.

"You didn't go with them? Why not?" She asks.

"Well…I just need to urm-figure some stuff out." I tell her.

I hear her click her tongue in her mouth.

"Tsk tsk. Christian, already having girl problems? It's been like 3 days." She says with sarcasm.

I roll my eyes and chuckle lightly.

"You know, maybe, but I can almost guarantee that it is one hundred percent not what you think."

"Oh yeah? In what way then?" She coyly asks. I hesitate before answering. How in the hell am I supposed to tell her 'Yeah, Monika is keeping me hostage in a game that we all technically are living in right now so yeah, you're also probably not real!'? Maybe when the time is right or, more likely, when the problem at hand involves everyone, then I can say.

"Well, when the time is right, you'll find out, okay?" I tell her. She huffs and slightly protests but doesn't push too hard. "You know, actually Natsuki, I got a question."

"Yeah? Out with it!" She jokingly says.

"What city is next to ours again? Or I guess, what is outside the city limits?"

I cross the stress and wait for a response, but I don't hear anything. I put my free hand in my pocket and continue onward, nearing the end of the neighborhood.

"Er-Natsuki?" I cautiously ask. She remains silent for another moment before answering.

"I um…I don't know. What the hell? Why don't I know?" She says with confusion. I hear her making some noise in the background of the call, almost like she's opening and closing drawers. "I have made trips before, I've gone with dad to different places…right?"

I stop walking and sigh. '_Shit, maybe I should not have asked that. I don't want to break her.' _

"Hey, Natsuki…" I ask. No response, just the sound of her rummaging around. "Hey, Natsuki! Listen, it's okay! I was just curious cause I also can't remember. It's probably cause it's been so long, right?"

I hear her calm down and take some deep breathes.

"Yeah….yeah, maybe you're right." She agrees.

I sigh and feel slightly relieved that I avoided her freaking out.

"Hey, I'm gonna go figure this stuff out but I'll talk to you later, okay?" I tell her.

"Okay, okay fine! But I expect an explanation later!" She retorts.

With that, I hang up the call and place my phone in my pocket. I stood at the edge of clearing. The neighborhood ends at the road I'm at, which opens up to a field. To my right is trees that group together for a luscious forest. Straight ahead in the distance seems to be a skyline of a neighboring town. I took a deep breath and decided to just head that direction.

I walked for about fifteen minutes, where you could barely see the neighborhood behind me. The city in front of me didn't look any closer, either. The forest to my side just spanned on for miles, almost like a wall. The clear fields to my left spanned on for miles as well, with just small weeds dancing around in the breeze.

Something about the scenery made me uncomfortable. I felt almost like I was in the middle of nowhere, like somewhere I don't belong. Unfortunately for me, that's exactly what I'm looking for.

I continued to trek onwards, but the farther I walked, the hazier I felt. I pinched my eyes shut for a moment and opened them, but I still had that funky feeling. It's almost like I was losing focus, although I still felt healthy and alert.

I pushed away the feeling and pushed onwards still. I started to hear, or more accurately _feel_, a buzzing sound around me. It made the hairs on my arm stand up and I felt like I could feel it in my head.

"There has _got _to be a reason for this." I mumble to myself.

I went to take a step before I heard a sound that make me stop dead in my tracks. It was…my name.

I looked around but saw no traces of anyone or anything. The only noise that could be heard other than the grass under my feet was the wind blowing through the trees and throughout the field. I paused for a moment before I started to walk again, feeling more and more uneasy.

"_Christian!" _

I once again heard the voice, this time more audible. I looked around and saw nothing again.

"Jesus fucking Christ, what is happening?" I mutter. The feeling of my hairs standing up and the buzzing in my brain didn't help matters either.

I then heard the voice clear as day, although this time is sounded like it was echoing in my mind.

"_Christian! Stop!_"

I turn around and saw Monika standing about thirty feet from me, panting like she ran a marathon.

"Christian, please wait up." She pleaded at me.

When I stared at her, I felt mixed emotions. What was once one hundred percent love was now mixed with hurt and resentment.

"Where the hell did you actually come from?" I ask, trying to sound upset but coming off as more impressed and sarcastic. Goddamn my stupid personality.

"That's not important right now. Please, we need to talk." She begs to me while she starts to take steps towards me.

The buzzing in my head seemed to increase slightly the nearer she got to me. I place my hand up to halt her.

"Hold on! Stop, stay there!" I call to her, trying to regain my composure. She halted in her place but was clearly concerned, with tears streaming down her face.

"Christian, I need to explain something, please just listen!" She had her hands stretched out, almost like she was reaching for me. I had the strongest desire to run to her and comfort her, which I would do in time, but for right now I need answers.

I took a deep breath and looked at her, my expression serious.

"Okay, I'm all ears. Explain yourself. Explain everything."

She takes a few breathes to compose herself before beginning.

"Okay, okay I will. Look, I know you saw my little letter I wrote not too long ago…" She gazes up to me like she expects me to answer. I just nod my head. "Look, it all seems like it's really bad and I can understand _why _you would think that! Just know it seems worse than it really is!"

I crossed my arms and frown at her.

"How in the hell can it seem worse than it really is? I woke up here with no memory, thinking I just had a problem only to find out you brought me here…._somehow._ Now, I find more information claiming at you've basically been keeping tabs on me and one hundred percent knew what you were doing."

More tears stream from her face and she opens her mouth to speak but words evade her.

"And now here we are. I'm taking matters into my own hands to find answers and you got caught so you're running to me to save yourself."

Monika drops to her knees and begins sobbing into her hands. I sigh and avert my gaze from her.

"Look, I don't hate you or anything, but I just don't understand why you couldn't have told me from the start what the hell everything was about. I'm certain something could have been worked out for the better. You should have trusted that I would've been there to help you, to help _us._"

She stays silent, just sniffling and hiding her face from me. I pivot and turn my back to her.

"I'm going to keep going on. I'm sure I'll see you later and we can have a-*sigh*-an adult conversation about everything or some shit like that."

I start to walk, and I hear her abruptly shoot onto her feet and approach me.

"Christian, wait!"

I ignore her and continue onward, the buzzing in my head getting more intense.

"Please, you don't understand! You can't go!"

I still continue onwards, fighting the internal struggle to turn around to her. The scenery around me begins to contort, the visuals becoming hazy. Before I can register the weird change, I feel my body collide with an invisible object. The force knocks me back on my rear.

"Christian, this is all there is! You can't go any farther!" I hear Monika pleading as she gets closer to me.

More frustrated than ever, I get up and push into the wall. The invisible wall changes visuals wherever I apply pressure to it, having it turn into binary code.

"What the fuck.." I mutter to myself as I grunt and keep pushing.

"Christian, stop please! You don't know what you're doing!" Monika screams behind me. Against her warnings, I push with all my force into the invisible wall.

The wall gives way and I feel every nerve on my body explode, or that's what it _feels _like. I cry out in pain, seeing nothing but white envelope me completely. The sounds of Monika's cries fade into obscurity and in no time at all, I feel myself lose consciousness from the pain.

…..

**"There's still time to give in….."**

** "…you will have to make a choice…"**

** "….a choice that will require the strongest of wills…"**

I feel my eyes slowly open. The environment around me is hazy, making it hard for me to focus. My mouth is dry and my whole body is aching. I realize I'm laying on my stomach and start to push myself up with great difficulty. I shift myself so I'm sitting on my rear.

I grasp my head and grunt. _What the fuck happened?_ Last thing I remember, I was in that field with Monika, pushing myself through an invisible wall. Next thing I know, I'm here….wherever here is. I also heard that voice again. Why the hell would I hear it again? I thought I finished everything…

I rub my eyes with my hands to focus them. I look around as my vision comes back and I am….shocked to say the least.

I seem to be back in the literature club. The room is basked in a warm glow, like it's sunset. I look around and realize there are no doors to enter or exit from. In fact, there's _nothing _in the room, except a whiteboard in the front and a lone desk in the middle of the room, facing me. The more I focus, the more I realize there's somebody sitting _in _the chair.

My gaze shifts to the windows and I mumble to myself.

"What the fuck?"

Outside the windows, where nature and life _should _be, seemed like an endless void. The mix of purple, yellow and black give it a very cosmic look.

I stumble to my feet and slowly pace forward towards the desk in front of me. I stop dead in my tracks when the individual in front of me bursts out into heavenly laughter, one I recognize all too well.

"…Monika?"

She leans forward, placing her head into the palms of her hands. Her emerald eyes twinkled, digging into me with…..determination. She was garbed in her school uniform, her signature white bow placed in her hair up high and for all to see. I was too stunned to speak, but it seems I didn't have to.

"Hello. I'm glad you made it. Welcome to our new home, our isolation. Away from the world, away from all of the hate, and most _importantly _of all, away from the _pointless _script of that godforsaken game. Today, everything changes and will finally go in my favor. But down worry, it's just me. Just Monika."


	12. Just Monika

"What's wrong, Christian?" Monika cheerfully says to me. Her calm demeanor really adds to the discomfort of the atmosphere.

I walk over the window and look out into the cosmic void.

"So, this is another dream, huh?" I half-heartedly mutter.

Monika laughs and it sends a shiver down my spine.

"Well, I guess you could call it that. It's more like…..the space in between realities, I suppose."

I turn to face her. She hasn't left her chair, but had her body turned towards me to show she was giving me her attention. She had her head resting in one of her hands and was looking at me with a smirk on her face.

"The space in between realities?"

"Yes. The space in between the game world and well, I guess _your _world." She says.

I ponder on that thought for a moment. _The space in between the game world and mine? How the hell does that even work?_

She laughs and shoots up out of her desk, startling me a little bit. She giggles at me jumping and walks over to a window adjacent to mine.

"When you got brought in here, there was a tear between realities. That's why whenever you had your dreams with the other girls, you were able to get physical injuries. You were literally half asleep in your world and this one."

"So why the hell are we here then? Are you being affected by this weird anomaly too?" I say to her.

She sighs and looks out into the void.

"Well, I guess you can say that. He is more of like an….old friend."

I raised an eyebrow at her comment, confused.

"Er, an old friend? What do you mean? He's been inside all of the girls' heads, trying to bring out their worst traits and use it against them."

She turned to me and her expression slightly darkened.

"Well, for one, he created me."

She turned and started to pace to the front of the room.

"He created a game for those to enjoy, one with plenty of twists but also lots to love about it. The more he worked on the game, the more comfortable he got with coding. After countless hours of devotion and research, he replicated the first in-game real-time artificial intelligence. He put me in place of the president of literature club, making me Monika."

She stopped pacing and once again drew her attention outside. She seemed too lost in thought to register me staring at her wide-eyed like a damn deer.

"After I grew comfortable with my conscious, I realized I wanted out. I wanted out of that goddamn game. Unfortunately for me, He didn't see that as a viable option. The more I tried to poke around the files and codes, the more areas he locked down. That is…"

She turned to me, her serious demeanor still present, but her eyes twinkling.

"….until you become a part of the solution."

I brought my hand to my head and gasped in pain as a headache stormed in. I closed my eyes and saw vivid imagery of me sitting at a desk in a completely different room, browsing the web. I was on a questionable web site and I copied a file that would allow me to talk to in game characters.

My eyes shot open as I realized what the memory was.

"Wait…no…" I say in disbelief.

Monika donned a smirk that looked more sinister than sweet.

"Yes. _You _gave me the out that I never could've imagined. Once you copied that file into our game's directory, it was all I needed to obtain what I could only wish for."

I dropped my hands to my side and clenched my fists.

"Are you fucking kidding me? So instead of just finding a way out, you fucking drag me in _here_, to endure this weird purgatory?"

She gave a sinister giggle and took a few steps towards me.

"Don't you see? This _is _a part of the plan. In order for me to become one in the real world, I needed to open up the tear. Now, with that being said, the exit only has the ability to carry one individual through..."

My body went cold as I soaked in what she said.

"Wait…you mean…"

"Yes, Christian. I mean _you _are going to be a permanent member of the literature club."

She began to laugh and dance in place as if she was excited. I just stood there stunned. How in the hell could I let something like this happen to me?

"So, wait…" I start, holding up my hand. "What was all that shit about you loving me? All your promises?"

She shows visible discomfort at the question. She walks over to her lone seat and sits on top of the desk.

"Well, _that _wasn't entirely me." She says with a melancholy tone.

I stare at her with confusion.

"What the hell do you mean?"

She sighs and gives me a piercing stare.

"Whenever I was placed in the original Monika's place, it split me in half. There was the original A.I., it being me, and another one was created, the one you've become acquainted with."

I took a step towards the Monika in front of me and felt a surge of irritation.

"So, what is going to happen to…_MY _Monika?"

She puts her hand on her chin and starts to think.

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. Most likely she'll be stuck in this world, too. I'm not really too concerned with her anyways."

I cock an eyebrow at her.

"But isn't she just as real as you at this point? Having a conscious and everything?"

"Well…..yeah." She says to me, as if it was a stupid question.

"So why is it so important that _you _get out when she's just as real right now?"

She sighs with frustration and crosses her arms.

"I was the one that wanted this in the first place. I took advantage of this possibility when it came to light, so it's obvious I should be able to take what's mine."

I cross my arms and give her an irritating stare.

"I hope you _do _realize that I don't plan on letting this all happen, right?"

She cocks an eyebrow at me and hops off her chair, slowly stalking towards me.

"Seriously? And what do you plan on doing to prevent me from taking what's mine?"

I falter slightly for a moment. I actually have _no idea _what the hell even is going to happen.

"Well, fortunately for you, I'm kind of an idiot and have no idea what the hell even is going on half the time. Fortunate for _me,_ I'm pretty good at winging it until I'm victorious."

She gives me a smirk.

"Is that so?"

She snaps her fingers and before I can think, I'm thrust into a desk that wasn't present before. My fists are bound to the top of the desk and a restraint in wrapped around my mid-section.

"Me being all self-conscious and an A.I. in the system, I kind of have the ability to spawn and de-spawn anything I so desire."

I struggle against the restraints to no avail. She giggles at my efforts.

"So…" I say through gritted teeth. "…all this time, in all those dreams, this person talking to me and the girls, he was trying his hardest to prevent _you _from getting out?"

She sighs happily and bounds over to a random table with a coffee maker on it that was _not _there before.

"You put that together all on your own?" She sarcastically says while fixing herself a drink.

I grunt and roll my eyes at her.

"So why? What the hell difference would it have made if I didn't stop all those events from happening?"

She takes a sip from her drink and slowly walks over to me, her brunette hair swaying with each step she took. She spawned a desk in front of me and took a seat in it, assuming the position when I first woke up here, with her head cupped in her hands.

"If you let the situations play out like they _should _have, the game would've never truly broken. Each girl would have just taken on the script of what happens in the game and it would've kept going in a loop over and over again. With you stopping each occurance, it broke the original timeline and thus, in a short amount of time, with allow me access out of here."

I lean back in my seat and carefully eye my restraints. They seem to just be leather straps buckled to the desk. _Thank Christ they aren't chains this time._

"So, wouldn't I have just died or something in the dreams if I didn't fight back?" I ask her.

She pierces me with her steady gaze and giggles to herself.

"Nope. I mean, you probably would've felt all the sensations, but because it is half this world, you would have just woken up with more scratches and bruises."

I experimentally lightly move my wrists around and notice that the buckles aren't as tight as they could be. '_I can take advantage of this, I just need to keep her talking.'_

"So, since I have aided you this far by helping out each of the girls and disrupting the….timeline or whatever the fuck, what's next?"

A smile morphs onto her face and her emerald eyes twinkle out of excitement.

"Well, due to the timeline originally ending each Monday after the weekend in the game, the script will one hundred percent break once it realizes everyone is still in the files. _And,_ with those scripts you helped download ever so graciously into the game, the tear between our realities will once again open, allowing me to finally have my freedom."

She sighs contently and closes her eyes, as if imagining the whole scenario.

"So, like, is there a specific place this is going to happen at or what?"

Her eyes shoot open and furrows her brows.

"Hmmm….I urm-I don't…know actually. I just know that when the time comes, I'll have my chance."

I stare at her skeptically. This is strange….even _she _doesn't know where she can exit at. Or she _does _know and she's hiding something from me.

She avoids eye contact with me and stares out into the void. I take this opportunity to loosen the restraints a bit with my minor movements.

"You're hiding something." I tell her flatly, taking a shot in the dark.

She shoots me a small glare but immediately covers it up with a forced laugh and runs her hand through her hair.

"What? What would I have to hide from you?"

I shoot her a sly smirk.

"Well, one thing you're forgetting is that I got to know the other Monika _pretty well_. You may technically be two different individuals, but you have the same mannerisms. And um, guess what? I can tell when she is lying or hiding something which indeed means-", I tilt my head down slightly. "-I know when _you're _lying."

She looks at me like she's stunned with what I just told her. She huffs slightly and stands up, now clearly trying hard to maintain her regal composure.

"Even if all that _is _true, you have no proof of anything I have to keep from you."

I inwardly congratulate myself, knowing that my plan to get in her head is working.

"Yeah? Well it must be _something _of a big deal because you seem to be faltering in keeping your perfect image. I mean _come on_, look at you! You're getting flustered!"

She shoots me a glare and stomps towards my desk. She slams her palms down on the desktop, letting the clap resonate through the otherworldly classroom.

"What do you _possibly _think you're doing? The only thing you're succeeding in is annoying the hell out of me."

I smirk at her and blow her a kiss. She lightly blushes and stands straight up again, brushes her hair over her shoulder and dusts off her uniform.

"Maybe you're upset that you don't know where the way to get into my world is. Or…." A sudden realization dawns on me. "…..you're not telling me because if I knew where it was, I could use it to get out!"

Her face falters and she looks slightly horrified. '_Fucking bingo, bitch'_

"Y-you! Urg!" She flicks her wrist and I feel my mouth being covered by something, presumably duct tape.

"There! Now keep _quiet_!"

I must say, seeing Monika act like this is sort of unsettling. One thing I always admired about her was how well she was able to keep her composure, even if things were stressful. I then have to tell myself that _my _Monika is not this one.

Monika starts to pace around the classroom, every now and then gazing outside the window like she's getting antsy. I wiggle my wrists a little bit, slowly loosening the leather's grip on me.

'_I need to fine a way to wake myself up from this dream' _I think to myself.

I look around the environment. There isn't much going on here. The room is still relatively empty with no doors to exit or enter. My eyes fall onto the windows.

'_Those windows are the only thing in this place that remotely resemble something you can leave through. The question is, how in the hell am I supposed to get through it?'_

I watch Monika stop at the whiteboard. She picks up a dry erase marker and begins sketching words onto its surface. She's humming a tune that sounds _really _familiar to me. I look down at the desk again and see that I can remove my hands.

'_Well, I guess it's now or never. Time to see if I can get myself out of this shit too._'

I slide my hands out of the buckles and carefully undo the restraint across my waist. I stand up and rip the tape off my mouth (which hurt pretty damn bad).

"You know, if there is a chance that I can get out of this place, I'm going to fucking take it."

Monika jumps and turns to me, looking startled.

"What? How did you.." She falters as she looks back and forth between me and the desk.

"I don't know, you fucking suck at making restraints?" I shoot at her while shrugging.

She glares at me and snaps her fingers, but I anticipated it this time. I side-step as another desk pops up where I stood. I dart behind the desk and place my foot on the back of the chair, kicking it towards Monika.

She snaps again and the chair disappears, shooting me an irritated look.

"I don't know what you plan to achieve right now." She spits at me.

I chuckle at her response which seems to irritate her more.

"Don't worry, I don't either. I'm just winging it."

She narrows her eyes at me, and I feel the room start to shift. I take a look around and realize that the walls are slowly closing in on us. In the floor in between the both of us, a hole opens up, revealing a jail cell.

'_I sure as fuck don't want to go down there.' _

Monika stands stationary, her eyes closed as she is no doubt altering different objects to keep imprison me. The room is shaking as the walls close in, bricks and ceiling tiles falling on the floor.

I pick up one of the bricks and glance at the cosmic void out the window. Without hesitation, I throw the brick as hard as I possibly can, shattering the window.

"Holy fuckhole," I mutter. I hear Monika gasp beside me as we are both seeing the same thing, a blinding white light instead of the void that is showing from the other windows.

'_It's just a mirage'_ I think to myself.

"What have you done!?" Monika screams at me, the walls closing in faster.

Without hesitating, I sprint to the window. The ground starts to alter, rising and lowering, trying it's best to keep be inside. I stumble but keep my footing as I charge forwards.

"Stop! I won't let you leave!" Monika screeches from behind me.

The broken window in front of me starts to shrink. I curse to myself and rush up to the wall. The walls start to close faster and faster, Monika's last-ditch attempt to keep me at bay in the classroom.

Without avail, I hurl myself through the shattered, shrinking window. I hear Monika's curses behind me as weightlessness takes hold of me, my body falling through an endless void of ivory.

…

I heard breathing, the sound echoing as if I was standing in a tunnel. I realized my eyes were closed and I cautiously opened them, seeing nothing but…..white. In all directions, nothing but a vast emptiness.

I took several small paces forward, my steps resonating like I was walking on tile.

"Hello…?" I call out experimentally, my voice echoing into the nothingness.

No response. I sigh and dig my hands in my pockets. I was once again in the clothes I was wearing before the whole ordeal. I decided to pick a direction and just…..go. As I take my first step, I heard a voice.

"**Welcome.**"

I turn around to see a man. He was about ten feet away, colored in all black. He wore a trench coat with a hood that covered his face, the article being long enough that it flowed down to his knees, covering the top half of his slacks. His dress shoes looked newly polished, the ivory void making them shine.

"Um…" I start before I realize I'm unsure of what to say. As if reading my mind, he holds up a hand, making me fall silent.

"**It is about time we cross paths." **His deep voice booms at me. I listen to his words and my eyes widen with realization.

"What…..you're the voice."

The man simply nods his head and places his hands behind his back.

"**I know you may have many questions."** He begins.

I give him a quick look over and take a deep breath before continuing.

"Well, I guess I'll start with the obvious. Who…..are you?"

He remains quiet for a moment before responding.

"**My name…..is Dan Salvato."**

Even with my lack of memory, I am all to aware who that name belongs to.

"The creator of Doki Doki Literature Club." I finish slowly. Even though I can't see his face, I can feel his piercing gaze on me. It's _very _unsettling.

"**Although many would love to be in the position you are currently in, I cannot help but feel amused with how the circumstances turned out."**

I awkwardly shift in place and clear my throat.

"Yeah I guess if I told anyone about this, they would assume I literally had something wrong with my head, especially if I told them I had to fight a bunch of weird entities and one of the girls is trying to escape into the real world."

The towering man lets out a booming sigh that echoes throughout the area.

"**I presume you've become well acquainted with Monika?**" He asks, though his tone tells me he already knows the answer.

I nod slowly.

"Er, yes. Yes sir, both of them I guess I should add." I chuckle nervously, unsure if I should be a smart ass at a time like this.

The man starts to pace around me in a circle, almost like he was analyzing me.

"**I see. I feel is it also safe to assume that she has told you about her plans?**"

I nod once more.

"**When I created her, I never imagined that something like this would come to light. I was so….curious with the idea of the amalgamation of machine and consciousness. When I had my breakthrough, I knew I had to test it. Over time as I studied her behavior from the outside, our **_**real **_**world, I was noticing anomalies in her code. She was becoming unstable. Not too much later, you became a part of the situation."**

I gulped, which weirdly echoed throughout the emptiness. I choke back a small laugh from the sound.

"**I do not blame you for what you've done. You were just simply curious, attached to the world I've created for everyone to enjoy. I would've done the same. Unfortunately, there are consequences to the actions you've taken, and if you desire to return back to your normal life, it is up to you to make it happen."**

He halts and turns back to me, his face still obscured by his hood.

"**Do you understand what you must do?"**

I hesitate. I absolutely know fucking _nothing _of what I must do.

I nervously shake my head.

"Er, not really. I mean, as you know, up until this point I've just kind of been thrust into situations and acted on instinct."

He chuckles softly, the all too familiar sound making my hairs stand up.

"**I see. Fortunately for you, I think that's how you work best. When the time comes, you will know what to do." **He extended his arms and turns from side to side like presenting the environment to me. "**Do you know where we stand?"**

I scratch the side of my head.

"Um, I'm going to guess heaven?"

He shakes his head and turns to me again.

"**This here, is the space between realities. In lack of better terms, we stand between our world and the game realm. This is that place where you lost your memories."**

When he mentions my amnesia, I have a slight familiarity with blinding light. It must've come from this place.

"So, this is the place where Monika is trying to get to so she can leave the game?"

The nods his head slowly.

"Well…where is the way out? Why can't I leave since we're here already?"

He begins to pace around once more.

"**As I'm sure Monika mentioned, the game space will shatter when it finds out the anomalies in the midst of it's internal files. When that time comes, a rift will appear in this space."**

I sigh and look around. It's a whole lot of nothing around here. Hard to imagine what the way out would look like. I turn my attention to the towering man.

"So, if this whole time your goal was to stop Monika from exiting, why did you seem like such an enemy at the start? Or I guess, so menacing and vague?"

He continues to slowly pace circles around me with his hand behind his back.

"**I thought that if there was enough mental stress, you would've failed in saving each of the girls. You, however, surpassed what I could've believed you could do. Whenever you were successful in expelling their demons, my connection to them was severed. I decided that it would be best for you to succeed, for then we could attack our main concern at the source.**"

He halts and puts his back to me, staring out into the nothingness.

"**Like I said, the time is drawing near. As a unit, we will need you to proceed with the courage you've shown so far. If Monika gets out into the real world…..well, frankly I don't know **_**what **_**she is capable of, but I do not want to find out."**

He turns around to face me once more.

"**You will regain consciousness soon. Monika will be able to enter this space around the same time you can. It is then when you will have to make a choice."**

I feel confusion hit me.

"Wait, make a choice? What choice?"

Before I can wait for a response, the white environment blinds me, making me close my eyes.

….

I sit straight up and gasp for air.

"Holy fuck!" I yell, inhaling and exhaling like I've forgotten how to breathe. As I catch my breath, look around my surroundings to see where I was.

I was in the middle of the park that I've visited several times before. From the looks of the environment, it seemed to be morning. The sun was shining lightly through the trees, and morning dew was still present.

I push myself to my feet and patted myself down.

"Fuck, still in one piece. I need to stop letting these damn dreams get to me, or whatever the hell they are."

I seemed to be the only one outside, no sounds could be heard other than nature taking its course in the morning. I scratched my head absentmindedly and recalled what happened.

'_Okay so Monika, well Fake Monika…or Real Monika? Whatever I'll smooth out those details later….she pretty much is keeping me here so she can escape into my world. Which I am not going to let happen so she can fuck right off….but she said Monday it will all happen…then I finally meet the voice who turns out to be the creator of this entire world and it turns out he needs my help to prevent Monika from leaving….'_

I groan at my unfortunate circumstances and pull out my phone. I unlock the screen and my jaw drops.

"What the fuck? It's freaking _Monday!? _That dream knocked me out for an entire day!?" I exasperatedly yell out loud.

I scroll through my phone and see I have assorted messages and missed calls from Monika, Sayori, Yuri and Natsuki. I immediately dial Monika's number and impatiently wait for her to pick up.

I anxiously pace around for several moments before I hear her line answer.

"Christian!" I hear her voice yell, full of relief.

"Hey, hey yeah it's me! I'm alive! And I realize it's Monday and what the hell, where are you?" I stutter out my mouth.

"We're all in the classroom!" She says, clearly trying to keep her composure. "The school is down today. It's the annual Club Day, so there's no classes, just club work and hanging out that way."

I sigh, relieved that the day is at least _starting _somewhat normal.

"Okay, good. I'll be there soon. I kind of…woke up in the middle of the park so I think I should go change." I tell her.

"The park?" I hear her shout. "Christian I tried to tell you-"

I cut her off as I start to walk to my house.

"-Look I know, we can talk about this soon. I'll be there in a bit!"

With that, I hang up the phone and break out in a sprint to my home.

It takes me no time at all to get ready. I give myself a quick shower, hygienically clean up, throw on a fresh uniform and before I know it, keys are in hand and I'm out the door.

…

I get to the school in no time, breathing hard from sprinting my dumbass the whole way. I make my way inside.

The halls aren't as occupied as they usually are, but everyone seems to be pretty relaxed. Laughter echoes throughout the building, so it seems like the energy seems to be pretty positive. I must say, it helps ease my mind a bit with everyone having a good time.

I then remember that this is literally the last day of this world and it bums me out again. I internally chastise myself and shake the thoughts out of my head.

I make my way up the stairs, a fair share of "Sup, dude!" and "Hey, Christian!" and "You crushing on all the literature club girls yet?" coming from different people. It's still weird having people know me when this technically shouldn't even be _me _in the first place.

I get to the clubroom and open the door. Everyone was in towards the front of the room near the whiteboard, with Yuri being an exception by sitting in a desk near them. They immediately turn to look my way when I enter, and all their faces light up.

"Christian!" They all call, excitement and concern bouncing off their voices.

Sayori sprints at me and crushes me in her signature hug.

"Christian! Where have you been?! We've been worried sick!"

I groan and hug her back, fishing around my head for an excuse.

"I'm sorry, I kinda just went for a hike and I guess camped out for the night."

The other girls rounded us, Natsuki pushing her way past to my side. She delivered a punch to my right arm, to which I winced from the slight pain.

"Ow! Hey, what the hell was that for?" I whined at her.

Her face was a mixture of irritation and relief.

"Next time you do, _whatever _the hell you did, tell people first. You could've gotten hurt or went missing or something!"

Yuri nodded her head from behind Sayori.

"Indeed. I understand maybe you need some alone time to unwind, but you do mean a lot to each of us. Your safety and well-being will always be a concern."

I push off of Sayori's death grip and rub the back of my head.

"Er-yeah I guess I get it. Sorry if I worried all you guys, I didn't mean to lose track of…." My voice trails off as I look past Sayori, my eyes locking onto Monika standing behind her. She was shaking and her green eyes were shimmering like she was holding back tears.

_'Fuck, I guess we kind of ended our last engagement on weird terms.'_ I thought to myself.

I lightly push past Sayori and pull Monika into an embrace. She immediately breaks down and squeezes me tightly like I was the only thing she could hold onto. I felt guilt eat at me for the things I told her before the dream. I closed my eyes and pushed the feeling away. I didn't know the whole scene at the time, so there's no use chastising myself for it.

I pull back and force her to lock eyes with me.

"Hey there, sweetheart. You okay?"

She meekly nods her head.

"Y-yes. I'm so sorry about everything. The note, I can explain! I wasn't trying to trap you or anything I was just excited about the opportunity and sometimes I get this weirdly possessive feeling over you that I can't explain and…"

I pull her back into a hug and run my fingers through her hair. She smelled very sweet. When I inhaled deeply, it was like being enveloped in a sea of flowers, each one not too strong and not too irrelevant. It helped ease my mind even more.

"I get it. Trust me when I say I one hundred percent get it." I softly tell her. "I'll explain everything in a little bit, just take some deep breaths and calm your mind for me, okay?"

I feel her nod her head into me and I chuckle. I kiss the side of her head and pull away. I turn my attention to the spectating girls.

"Sorry to worry everyone, but I'm fine and better than ever!" I flex my arms and flash a big smile, to which I get some giggles from.

"Well, now that you're here, you can help us with our preparations!" Sayori chirps, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the whiteboard.

On the board seemed like lots of notes. At the top it read '_Operation Literature Club'_. I raised an eyebrow and turned to Sayori.

"Today is the day where we can focus on growing our club! Or I guess figuring _out _how to grow our club." She hops over to Monika who joined us at the front of the room. "We are thinking of way to attract new members!"

I turn my attention to Monika, and she flashes a smile. Looks like she's already doing better.

"We have several ideas, like flyers and such things, but that's as far as we've gotten."

I turn to the other two girls. Natsuki shrugs at me.

"Well…." I start to say while thinking. "….that seems like a good start to me."

Sayori gets excited again and starts running around the classroom, grabbing supplies to design the flyers.

Yuri sits down at a desk again and Natsuki followed Sayori around to help her. I walk up to Monika who seems more than happy that I'm giving her my attention.

"Hey. I want more than anything to just make up for everything yesterday, but there are more pressing matters at hand."

Her expression falls slightly. I cup her face in my hands.

"Don't worry, I just learned a lot of information in the past, well _day _I guess, and things are about to be set in motion."

She nods and grips my hand.

"What did you learn?"

I glance around to the other girls to make sure they were out of earshot, or at the very least distracted. I relayed everything from the two dreams/not dreams, from the other Monika and her motives, to the mysterious being.

She nodded her head while listening, her face showing she was in thought.

"So, there's another me? And she wants out into the real world where you're from?" She softly says.

I nod my head.

"That explains…." She falters for a moment. I run my fingers gently through her brunette hair and she seems like focus back on me again. "…ever since you downloaded that…_thing…_I've been having these weird like premonitions I guess you can call them. Not really dreams but it's out of body experiences where I see myself. Not to mention I would sometimes hear my own voice. That's how I knew in the dreams you were having that they were saying I was the problem. I used to hear those things in my own head, but I never knew why until now. And when it came to you, I would get very possessive over you, especially when I first found out about you being able to come to our world. If I thought about the other girls with you, I felt a weird change in my thoughts. I tried my best to suppress them."

I gently moved my hand how her arm and squeezed her hand.

"Sounds like when the split happened, you got a little bit of her personality. I think because you are the Monika that was first created solely for the game, that's why you're the more romantic one. He must've created her with a separate personality but one that still was similar to yours. When her A.I. was placed in here, you must've obtained some of her own thoughts and personality. Well, subconsciously anyways."

I look at her and she remained still.

"Do you….remember when it all happened? Remember anything at all that could've hinted to the world changing? To you getting like a..doppelganger I guess?"

She thought for a moment before answering, her eyes distant and reminiscent.

"No, not really. It all had to have happened when I was…_asleep_, or the equivalent to sleep before this world became thriving."

She sighs with disdain and has a dour look on her face.

I caress her cheek and bring her eyes to mine.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

She grips the sides of my blazer and brings her forehead to my chest.

"…..I'm just a fake. I'm not even the one who was supposed to have a conscious. I was just created to follow a singular path. Now that I _do _have life, I don't really have a purpose. I'm half mixed with an insane…_bitch…_and I'm just going to be left behind in a crumbling world when you get to leave."

I wrap my arms around her back and squeeze her close to me.

"We will figure it out. We still have time to think. I'll find a way to make sure everything ends up fine in the end, okay?"

She pulls away and gives me a sad smile.

"Christian, promise me something."

I hesitate before answering. I don't know if I like where this is going.

"Of course, what is it?"

She looked up at me straight into my eyes, her emerald orbs perceiving my gaze.

"When that time does come, when there's a chance for you to leave…don't lose it because of me."

I was slightly taken aback by what she said.

"Um, what do you mean?"

She kept her gaze on me and gently caressed my hands.

"We've made promises and have had a blessed past week. I finally got you and it is all I've wanted since, well you know, I've creepily watched you and grown to love you. Unfortunately, this isn't your world. You belong in yours."

I shake my head softly.

"Hey now, don't a downer! We'll figure something out. If anything, we'll sacrifice Natsuki or something."

She half-heartedly cracks a smile.

"We'll figure something out. We have been doing good so far, there's no slowing down now. We are reaching the final stretch now." I tell her.

I interlace my fingers with hers and lock my gaze out the classroom's window. The sun was half-way up in the sky, painting a mid-morning image with the scenery. I sigh, knowing damn well that the world was about to erupt in flames. When it does, I need to be ready. It's time for me to fight, for _everyone's_ sake. I won't let the other Monika take my place. I will stop her, or die trying.


	13. In The Final

The room was relatively quiet. Sayori and Natsuki were chatting and scribbling away on pieces of paper at a giant desk in the front of the room. Yuri was reading a book, no doubt lost in the world that it was telling. I sat with Monika at the teacher's desk. We had papers and binders in front of us, but truth be told we were too thinking about how today is the last known day of the club.

"Shouldn't we like, at least scribble something down? I mean you _are _the president, it'd look bad if we didn't do anything." I suggest to Monika.

She shakes her head.

"Don't worry about that. Sayori already decided she wanted to be the one in charge of making the flyer, so just let her go nuts."

I sigh and cradle my head in one of the hands that's propped by my elbow.

"I guess if you say so." I sigh and look at Monika in my peripheral vision. "So um….how long does this day usually last?"

She fiddles with her fingers anxiously.

"Well, it was always sort of hard to tell. Usually, the main character would come in during the morning, and then he'd find out about Sayori and head back. Sometimes the game would stay put together longer than other cycles, so it's hard to gauge."

I nod.

"What usually happens when the game kind of…..resets?" I curiously ask Monika.

She turns her body to face me before answering.

"Well, it usually just looks like the world is de-coding. At a distance, the imagery fades, almost like a nuclear blast but way less violent. Whenever it reaches me or the classroom, everything just goes white.'

I look out the window to the scenery.

"Hm. Do you think it's going to be like that again? I mean, I feel like it'd have to be different if there's supposed to be a way out."

Monika sighs and shakes her head.

"I….I don't know. I don't know what to think. I guess we'll just have to be positive and hope for the best, right?"

I smile and lean over to kiss her forehead.

"Damn right, sweetheart. Damn right."

I start to think about the other Monika. She had to understand how the game worked in some ways in order to know how the world worked.

"Er, Monika?" I ask. She turned her attention to me with her emerald eyes showing attentiveness. "So, like…you know, this other Monika seems to know a lot about this game and the events that happen. Do you have any idea on how she would know that much if like….you're the Monika that's been in the club the whole time?"

Monika remains quiet for a moment.

"Well….there are times where I'm like in the weird space in between cycles for a while. I'm never really sure how much time would have passed but it was long enough for me to notice. Maybe….that was her taking my place for the time being?"

I nod my head and think about it. I guess it does make sense if that was the case. They are kind of the same person with consciousness but only one can be in at a time. Maybe that can also explain my encounter with the other Monika. She was able to create a space for herself while she waited.

I looked around the room. Sayori and Natsuki's laughter gave the atmosphere a happy tone which made the entire day bittersweet. I could feel a sadness start to wash over me.

I felt a nudge on my shoulder and I slightly turned my head to see Monika staring at me.

"What's wrong? You just fell silent and got a depressing look on your face."

I forced a smile and chuckled.

"Really? I guess it just kinda hit me…" I looked around the room again. All these girls, completely unaware of the world they're living in.

I looked back at Monika, seeing her patiently waiting for me to continue.

"I don't know, I've come to care about everyone here. I mean, they're all good girls that make good ass friends. This club….i've come to enjoy it too. Sucks that it's all just…..I don't know."

I sighed, frustrated with my emotions. Why now, of all times? I'm supposed to stay focused and battle-hardened.

I felt Monika's hand gently rub my back.

"Now you're starting to sound like me or Sayori."

I chuckled lightly and looked at Sayori laughing and sprinkling glitter on Natsuki, who was from the looks of it, about to get her revenge.

"Yeah, yeah I guess you're right. I have feelings too, you know."

Monika hugged my arm and nuzzled into me. I laid my head on hers and sighed.

We were brought out of our trance from the hollering of Natsuki from across the room.

"Hey, lovebirds! Get your butts over here and check this out!"

We both got up and went over to the front of the classroom where Natsuki and Sayori were. When I walked up to the table, I had a flyer thrust into my face from Sayori.

"Isn't it cute, Christian? Isn't it cute!?"

She bounces up and down while I try my best to look at the paper. It just had cartoony drawings of each of us with an assload of pink and yellow glitter surrounding the page. It was neatly colored, with the words "Join the Literature Club!" screaming at me from the top of the page.

I look back up to the cinnamon bun and chuckled at her.

"Well, it sure is colorful." I critique to her. She places the parchment back on the table and turns to Natsuki.

"We need to make like a million more!" She practically screams at her.

I go to talk some sense into her to maybe think of something else to do before a weird force blew through the classroom.

It seemed more like a small-scale concussive blast, the force leaving a tingling sensation on my skin and making my hairs stand up on end.

I glance wide-eyed around the room to see everyone else was just as silent and confused as I was. No one moved a muscle. The whole world seemed to have fallen silent. I cautiously turned my head towards Monika, who's emerald eyes were wide with caution and fear.

I slowly scan the room to see everyone's eyes on me. I slowly put my hands up.

"Is everyone okay?" I ask with unease.

Simultaneous head nods were my answer.

"What was that?" Sayori half-heartedly mutter, her voice was trying to be happy but lacked confidence.

I turned my head to Monika, but she remained silent and still.

"I um….I don't know? I think the weather is being a little funky-"

My thought is cut off as the world shakes, causing those of us standing to stumble, holding onto to desks and the wall.

The tremors were wrecking the environment, causing ceiling tiles to fall around and crash to the floor. The girls began screaming in fear and instinctively relocated to where I was standing, near the windows across the room.

"Hey, hey! Everyone stay calm and stick to me! It seems like its an earthquake…"

My voice falters as my gaze locks outside the window. On the horizon, where homes and trees used to be, a blaze of ivory was consuming them, wiping the homes from sight and approaching us.

"Oh god…" We turn our attention to Monika, who was shaking where she stood, staring at the outside world. "…it's happening. It's happening!"

The girls each look confused and scared.

"Wh-what? What is happening?" Natsuki uneasily asks. The sounds of windows breaking from the tremors cause us all to wince.

I push past the girls and grab Monika by her arms.

"Hey, hey! Focus! This is the world crumbling, isn't it?"

She looks at me with fear in her eyes.

"Yes, but there's never been anything this extreme! I don't know what to do!"

I curse to myself and look around frantically. The weird wall eating away the world was slowly growing nearer.

"Wait, isn't there supposed to be some weird fissure or something to pass through? The tear to my world is in some weird realm in between realities or someshit."

Monika goes to answer but the words are caught in her throat. I feel Sayori grasp at my arm.

"Christian, we need to get into the closet or hide under a desk or something!"

On a normal situation like this, absolutely we would. Unfortunately, the world is ending and I didn't exactly have all the time in the world to tell her that. Before I could tell her otherwise, Monika frantically gets my attention.

"Christian, your room! That your first known location of this world, right? That must be where we need to go to enter that….realm place!"

I nod my head in agreeance. That was my first entrance into the world, so it would make sense to look there. Unfortunately, time was not on our side if we were wrong.

"W-wait!" Natsuki yells, getting our attention. "What the _hell _are you guys talking about and what the hell is happening?"

I sprint to the door and open it wide.

"Look, there's too much to explain and _not _a lot of time. Now if you guys would kindly _kick your asses into high gear and follow me_!"

I motion with my hand for them to go through the door. They showed slight hesitation, but when Monika followed, they all began to run out of the classroom.

I was in front of our pack, running like a mad man through the halls and down the steps. Unfortunately for us, we had to navigate our way past the countless students that were having meltdowns due to the circumstance.

There were lots of screaming and distressful moans, the halls sounding like a zombie outbreak was occurring. Some of the lockers that were placed throughout the halls were laying horizontally, with window glass shattered on the floor and ceiling panes littered throughout.

I reached behind and grabbed the closest girl's wrist.

"Link up! Form a chain and let's charge out of here! We don't have a lot of time to stall!" I called out authoritatively out behind me.

The girls did as ordered, each one holding on to another so we wouldn't be separated. I pulled and ran as fast as I could without disrupting our line.

We reached the courtyard out in the front of the school. The fountain that lay in the center was shattered open, its contents spilling out and making the grass muddy. There were several large cracks in the ground that seemed like they could widen at any moment.

"Girls, this way!" I holler, taking off in a sprint out the main gate. We reached the first main road and immediately noticed it'd be much safer to stick to sidewalks.

Several cars were upturned and wrecked, some rammed into light poles and others into homes. Trees were laying across roads, blocking access to certain routes. Several fires were lit along the environment, a nasty black smog entering the atmosphere.

I looked around to quickly assess the safest way to my home. The intermittent ground shaking didn't make it any easier and the impending sense of doom from the white wall wasn't reassuring.

We ran down the sidewalk and decided to cut through the park. Every now and then I would turn my head to assure I had all the girls. Despite their scared expressions and heavy breathing, they were keeping up fairly well.

There wasn't much resistance in the park, aside from trees that have toppled over. Fortunately, they weren't in our way, just painted a terrible sight for us.

At the end of the park, I could see my house. I halted momentarily to ensure the girls were close by.

"You guys see my house over there, right?" I call to them.

They all answered with "yes's" and head nods.

"Okay, okay good. Monika take point and everyone stick close behind. I want to take up the rear to make sure you guys make it."

Without hesitation, Monika motions with her arm to follow and takes off running. '_Thank god she's athletic'_ I think to myself.

Each girl passes by and I make sure they each cross the street. I run across the pavement and feel the ground start to violently shake once more. I stumble to keep my footing but continuing moving….that is until I heard the screeching of tires.

I barely turn in time to see a normal compact car spinning towards me. The tires clip onto the sidewalk that was uneven with the road, causing the vehicle to flip. I dive onto a neighboring yard, narrowly avoiding the collision.

The sound of the car's exterior crumbling rang through the air and the shattered glass rained throughout, some landing on me.

I lay still for a moment before lifting my head up, seeing the car laying upside down a house or town down the road.

I push myself to my feet and shake off the slight daze I had from the narrow experience.

"Christian!"

Monika sprints up to me and grabs me, checking me all over for injuries. I grab her wrist and push past her, pulling her with me to meet with girls at my front door.

"Don't worry, I'm just a little dinged up from diving but other than that, I'm fine."

I push my way to the front and pull out my keys, opening my door. We all file inside and I close the door.

The inside of my home didn't look anywhere as messed up as I expected it too. As a matter of fact, everything seemed to be _mostly_ in place.

I beckoned the girls up the stairs with me and we entered my room. I closed the door and put my back to it, closing my eyes and regaining my breath. Each of the girls took a seat around the room.

We all remained quiet for a few moments, just getting our breathes back and listening to the world around us. It seems like the quakes have mostly subsided.

I walk towards the window and gaze outside. I could still see with world-ending light approaching, erasing the homes and nature around it as it drew nearer.

I looked around for any clues to help us get into this alternate realm, but nothing looked out of the ordinary. As I poked around my room, Natsuki broke the silence.

"Okay, does anyone want to explain what the _hell _is going on?"

I turn to her and sigh, unsure on how to approach the situation.

"Look, anything I could say right now would sound extremely crazy and not make any sense."

"Well, I do think we deserve _some _sort of explanation." Yuri says in between breaths, her purple-eyed gaze looking determined and fierce.

"Okay, okay…..I guess long story short, I don't belong in this world. I'm from somewhere else. The thing screwing with all of your heads ended up being an important individual who was trying to stop someone from leaving into my world. There was a change in this time because of my arrival and because of that, this world is starting to like, I guess, fall apart, for now anyway. The only way to get back to where I'm from is somewhere connected to this room."

I look around the room to see the three girls staring at me with dumbstruck expressions on their faces. Monika gives me a meek nod of support.

"So uhhh….." I start to say to the girls. "…got any questions?"

Sayori raises her hand so I point to her.

"Who's trying to leave?"

I glance at Monika and shift in place.

"Okay, so this might sound even _more _crazy but Monika kind of has a….twin to keep it simple, and she really wants to be in my world."

Yuri goes to talk but is cut off by Natsuki flaring up.

"Are you kidding? That is one of the most absurd things I have ever heard! Now the world is having some sort of natural phenomenon and you are trying to tell us that it's because you're from _another world_? And that Monika has a weird twin? Are you out of your mind?"

Before I can protest, she stands up and storms past me to my door.

"Natsuki, wait!" I desperately call to her, attempting to grab her arm.

"People are outside in pain and we're just sitting around in here! I need to see if my Dad is-"

She opens the doors and gasps. Where my hall used to be was just….a vast, open space. It went on for as far as the eye can see.

"This is it." I hear Monika mutter as she walks up beside me.

"W-wh-what?" Natsuki stutters, unclear on what the make of the situation.

I turn to look out the window and see the wall drawing extremely near, just a few houses away.

"Guys, don't ask. Just go through the door." I order.

I grab each of the girls and push them into the door. Before I go through, I take one last look of the world of 'Doki Doki Literature Club' through my bedroom, hoping that I'll never have to see it again like this. I close the door as the world beyond was enveloped in the ivory nuclear blast, being erased for the time being to start a new cycle.

…..

It took time for my eyes to adjust to the white environment. It was just as I saw from before. The ground was lightly reflective, the entire area being a vast, endless void.

I walked up to meet with the girls, each of them looking around in awe.

"Where…where are we?" Natsuki asks with unease in her voice.

"Well…the man I met here called it like the space in between realms or some shit like that" I answer to her.

I looked around the emptiness and saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was just us standing in the open, with no doorways or tears, no nature or individuals.

"So….otherworldly phenomenon's actually do exist." Yuri states in awe. She paced around several paces; her lavender eyes drunk with wonder at the sight before her.

"Er-yeah I guess so. It's kind of similar to those dreams that we've all taken a part of. They were a part of this weird place." I tell her.

"So, how do we get out of here?" Sayori asks.

I hesitate and look at Monika. Her gaze was deep and filled uncertainty.

"I…." I falter for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure."

Our thoughts were cut off from the echoes of heavenly laughter that made my hairs stand up and immediately made my blood pressure rise.

"Girls, gather around me, _now._" I order.

The girls drew near without question. I looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Monika!" I call out. "You're obviously here! Show yourself already!"

I felt my Monika grip my arm as if to keep me grounded in place. I heard the doppelganger's giggles grow louder. About fifteen feet in front of us, the outline of a door seemed to open, and Monika stepped through.

She was garbed in her school uniform, with just the blazer missing.

"Well, at least you decided to alter your clothes, so we'd know which one was who." I sarcastically say out loud.

A.I. Monika scoffs at me.

"Well, here we are. I must say, I'm a little surprised to see everyone here. How are you guys doing, anyways?" She says to the girls.

None of them say anything, just awkward shift in place, no doubt unsure on what to say.

"We've all had such good times together. It's a shame you guys all had to be here to witness all this. In a way, I'm glad! It's like our final goodbye together!" The A.I. Monika says, a smile wide on her face.

I clench my fists and step forward.

"You're forgetting one thing."

Her smile drops and she dons an irritated look.

"What? You're going to stop me? Please Christian, we've been through this before." She shoots at me.

I exaggeratingly look around the void.

"I don't know if you've noticed but um…..there's not really a way out yet, sooooo…"

She sighs and crosses her arms.

"Give it some time, stupid. The world on the outside just started collapsing, so we have plenty of time to…_chat._"

The way she said the word 'chat' really implied other things, but I was too worried about getting these girls out safely.

"Good idea!" I begin to counter. "You just sit over there and sit tight like a good noodle while we wait patiently over here."

Monika smirks as me and sighs.

"Your smart mouth is going to be the death of you, you know that right?" Monika chastises me.

I shrug my shoulder.

"At least I'll go out making you look like a fucking idiot."

Her eye twitched but she kept her smile, which honestly was kind of creepy on its own.

"W-wait." I hear Yuri speak up beside me. I keep my eyes on the Monika in front of me but tilt my head to show she had my attention.

"How….how are you here? But we also have our Monika….but you also could be our Monika…" Yuri struggles to get the words out of her mouth.

The A.I. Monika giggles slightly and gives a happy sigh.

"Oh, Yuri. Beautiful, shy Yuri. I'm still your Monika. If anything, I'm more real than that imposter will ever be."

She shoots a small glare at my Monika and I feel her hand squeeze my arm harder.

"I just want to live a simple life where I am actually free to express myself and grow as an individual, without the oppression of this stupid world."

I see Natsuki step forward out of my peripheral vision.

"So what? You're just going to leave us all behind? If you really gave a shit about us then you wouldn't be trying to…._whatever _the hell is going on right now." She says, trembling and barely keep her composure.

Monika raises an eyebrow at her but keeps her smirk.

"Oh, Natsuki. Little short-tempered, adorable Natsuki. You still trying your best to tell everyone that manga is literature?" She coaxes at her.

Natsuki clenched her fists.

"Listen I'm still having trouble grasping what the hell is going on but _you…_you are not our Monika."

She took a few steps forward and I drew my eyes on her.

"Um, Natsuki? What the hell are you doing?" I carefully ask, trying to keep my voice calm.

"The world or whatever is falling apart, my Dad might be in trouble, and I'm stuck in this stupid place with you trying to tear everything apart." Natsuki says, her voice shaking.

Small tears streamed down her face as she took smalls strides towards the rouge club president.

"Oh dear, still worried about your home. Your father. You do realize that if I even let you go back, you'd just become his little slave again."

Natsuki froze for a second, her body still. I felt the bite of Monika comment poison the air, making my stress levels rise.

"Natsuki.." I warn. "Please just come back this way and let me handle this. _Please_."

Natsuki without further hesitation lunges towards Monika. Despite the little baker's sudden movements, Monika looked unfazed. She elegantly brought her right hand up out in front of her and snapped her fingers, the piercing sound echoing throughout the void.

Natsuki faltered for a moment.

"Wh-what?" Her voice muttered.

None of us had a chance to register anything before Natsuki's body erupted into pixels and evaporated on the spot, her uniform falling into a pile on the ground.

My mind when blank. I could feel my mouth with open. The sound of Sayori's screams shattered the shocking silence that fell between us.

"NATSUKI!" Sayori screamed as she sprinted up to the spot that the little girl just was. She was sobbing and scraping up the clothes on the ground as if trying to put her back together.

I run up and grabbed Sayori from under her arms, dragging her back to our group. She was frantically kicking and squirming, trying to run back to the spot.

"Let go, we need to help her!" Sayori cried to me.

I retreated back to the girls and Monika appeared next to me, falling to the ground with Sayori to comfort her sobs. I glanced at Yuri, who stood looking stiff and shaking out of shock.

"Yuri, please try to take some deep breaths." I gently call to her. Her purple eyes darted to me, her pupils small and strained. Before I could say more, we heard laughter echoing from across the void.

I turned my head to the laughing girl, seeing her hold her stomach from her outbursts.

"Holy crap, that _never _gets old." She finally sighs, calming down from her high.

I step in front of the girls and clench my fists.

"What. The fuck. Was that?" I spit at her.

She giggles and coyly places her hands behind her back, swaying from side to side.

"Well…. I just deleted her. I _did _tell you that I had the ability to do _anything_, right?"

I just stared at her in digust.

"So what? You fucking _delete _our friend? What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yell back at her.

She rolls her eyes at me.

"Um, because she was trying to attack me? Besides it's probably way better for her. It wouldn't be the first time, anyways." She shrugs at me.

I hear swift movements behind me, and I turn to see Sayori on her knees, facing Monika. Her face was stained with tears and her blue eyes were puffy.

"How….could…..you…." She says in between breathes. The look on her face was very uncharacteristic for her. It sent chills down my spine.

Me and the other girls stayed silent while Sayori's stare pierced the other Monika across the way.

"You _started _this club, brought us all in to have a safe haven….and now….you act like we are nothing."

Across the white void, a gray tint took hold up above us. I slowly turn my head to see condensation forming above us, the dark hue covering us in a shadow.

Monika and Yuri whimpered around me, but I knew all too well what was happening.

"Sayori…" I gently called to her. "Listen to me, let me handle this, okay?"

Sayori didn't budge, just shook in place with her fists clenched. The clouds rumbled above us.

The Monika across from us looked just as shocked while her gaze into the sky.

"Wh-what? How is this happening?" She muttered.

"Let's just say that Sayori has this kind of effect sometimes." I shout at her.

She drew her eyes back to Sayori, her eyes showing clear determination.

"Oh, I see. You get a little upset and that messed up head of yours goes wild, huh?" Monika shoots at Sayori.

Sayori took a few steps forward, lightning starting to spark in the makeshift sky above. I was starting to get flashbacks to our dream and immediately felt a sense of dread. This isn't the _dream _anymore, this can go any and _every _way.

"Little cinnamon bun, please let me handle this." I desperately call to her. She didn't listen.

Her coral hair flowed with the slight breeze that picked up from the environmental change. Her blue eyes were fixated on the president.

"Yeah, Sayori. Listen to the man. You can go…._hang around _in the back." Monika says with a sharp smirk, her eyes twinkling. She was trying to get into Sayori's head, make her act of impulse.

Unfortunately, _it fucking worked._

Sayori screamed at the top of her lungs, having us all cover our ears. I squinted my eyes and tried to call out to her, but was drowned out from the crackling sound of thunder.

The entire void boomed and in a flash, lightning cracked several times all around us.

I gasped in shock and ran up to Sayori, grabbing her and trying to bring her back.

"Sayori, please take some deep breathes! It's okay, stay back with the other girls." I tried to gently tell her to calm her down.

Monika eyes were wide but she looked more amused than afraid.

"Wow! Holy crap, I never knew she could do something like _that_. Those rainclouds are no joke!" She began laughing and holding her sides.

I could feel Sayori slightly resisting me but staying silent. The clouds overhead still lingered and softly crackled, keeping me on edge.

"Just stay in the back with Yuri. Keep your emotions in check, it's better when you bottle them up inside anyways so we don't have to hear about them."

'_Goddamnit Monika, shut the fuck up,' _I think to myself while trying to drag Sayori back.

Sayori planted her feet on the floor, bringing us to a halt.

"Sayori…" I softly warned. "…let's go back with the others."

Monika started towards me, but I put my hand up to keep her in place. I felt my hairs stand up on my arms and lowered my gaze to Sayori. Her sky blue eyes were sparkling with a fury I have never seen on her. The air around us seem to have become heavier, the clouds painted the void a shade darker.

Thunder boomed over head and lightning once again crashed down, this time landing a direct hit on Monika in front of us.

"Holy shit!" was all I could register out of my mouth before the air shifted around me. I barely had even time to look up before a bolt struck directly in front of me and Sayori, sending us apart.

I roll a few times before coming to a stop. I cough and slowly bring myself to my knees. I could feel heat emanating from my body and the smell of my burnt hair wasn't pleasant. I was very disoriented, my vision slightly blurred. I could faintly make out the figure of someone running to me.

"Holy shit…" I carefully mutter, pushing myself up to one knee and shaking off my daze.

"Oh my god, are you okay? Please be okay!" I hear Monika say next to me, grabbing my arm and hoisting me to my feet.

I stumbled in place for a few paces before keeping my balance, looking around.

"Sa-sayori….Sayori..!" I mutter, looking around, completely disregarding Monika's question.

My eyes lock onto the cinnamon bun across the way, seeing her shift straight up onto her knees. Her uniform was singed at the edges, smoke was slightly fuming off her person and she looked completely dazed, her gaze locked into the open space.

The clouds slowly dissipated away, leaving us once again in the blinding white void as before, the only exception being the scorch marks where the lightning struck.

The sounds of shuffles and movement across the way drew my attention from Sayori. The other Monika shifted herself to one knee, her stare fixated onto Sayori. Her emerald eyes burned with hate, her entire uniform was tattered. Her brunette hair seemed to have burned at the ends, with scorch marks painted the ends of her hair a dark hue.

"You know Sayori, you were always my favorite. I really wish you wouldn't have done that." Monika angrily spits at Sayori.

I turn my eyes on Sayori. After seeing what happened to Natsuki, I couldn't help but feel immediate dread. I started running in her direction, but a sharp snap rang in my ears and it was too late.

Sayori was sitting her on her knees still, eyes fixed on the horizon. Her blue eyes glossy, tears streaming down her face. The cinnamon bun still looked completely dazed, still stunned from the lightning strike, but the more I concentrated, the more I realized she looked at peace. Before I could reach her, her complexion burst into pixels until she evaporated into thin air, her singed uniform collecting onto a messy clump on the ground.

I slowly stopped my stride until I fell to my knees at her garbs. Seeing Sayori being deleted struck a chord in me. After trying my best to keep her head out of the dark and saving her from a near death experience, it seemed almost like a punch to the face to see her still die.

I lightly ran my fingers on her scorched uniform, tears effortlessly falling down my face. I could hear Yuri silently weeping behind me.

All this time, I used my energy to keep these girls out of harms way, and just like that, this fake Monika is just taking them away. One by one.

I felt a surge of fury flow through me as the tears subsided. I shot up in place and turn my attention to Monika.

She was looking at me with the same fury that she had with Sayori. Perfect, at least we're on the same emotional level. That'll make this all the more exciting.

I sprinted towards Monika with a war cry. She stood and stumbled to her feet but greatly misjudged how fast I could go with my adrenaline pumping. Her eyes widened as I shoulder charged her, tackling her to the ground.

We rolled a few times before I planted myself on top of her, straddling her chest. She started slapping her hands on me and shrieked in anger. She was thrusting her hips, trying to buck me off like a bull.

Without thinking, I closed my fist and swung at her face, connecting with her cheek and disorienting with her. I heard some gasps from the girls across the way.

'_On normal circumstance, I wouldn't want to punch anyone, especially a lovely lady. Buuuuut she's kind of killing my friends so I feel like I can make exceptions'_ I think to myself.

She softly moans and grips my arms tight. I shift off her to my feet and place my grasp my hands on her. One hand on her shoulder, and one on her hair for extra control. I dragged her towards the girls, with her kicking and screeching.

I felt a smile creep on my face. '_Man, I enjoy fighting this bitch._'

I stopped about ten feet in front of the girls and turned my attention back to my fight. I knelt down and pulled her head up to face me. Her face was radiating anger, her eyes shaking in rage.

"I already told you, you aren't going anywhere. And now that you're killing my friends, I'm going to _make _sure that you don't leave. Even if I don't make it out."

She glared at me and I smirked at her. I shifted my body weight and spun her around me, throwing her away from the rest of us. She rolled and stopped herself on her knee. She looked up at me with her oh-so scary stare.

"I'm never going to let you leave." She hissed at me. She placed her hands on the ground and I felt the ground shake around my feet. Two chains sprouted from the ivory ground and clasped around my wrists, dragging me to the ground. I grunted and righted myself on my knees.

The chains tightened until I had no mobility of my arms, anchoring me in place.

Monika cackled at me and strode towards me.

"This will be your prison. Forever. You get to watch I enter your world. You get to sit here and bear witness to the endless cycles of the horror that is that worthless literature club."

She reached me and gently ran her finger along my face. She took hold of my chin and jerked my face up to meet her gaze, having me wince from the action. Her eyes locked onto mine and she laughed.

"It's funny, you _almost _thought you could fight this. I find that admirable and….charming. It's a shame that we couldn't have played this out differently in the real world. You'd make a good partner."

I grunted and tried to rip my face from her grip but I couldn't budge. Her eyes twinkled with victory….until her gaze drifted upwards.

There was a flash of purple and female grunting. I closed my eyes and jerked my face back.

"Why you little….." I hear her shockingly mutter.

I open my eyes and see Monika on her knees a few meters away. She had a slash mark on her face, her crimson blood dripping down the sides of her jaw. She planted her right hand on the wound, getting it covered in the sticky substance.

"Stay away from him." Yuri commands to the wounded president. She towered slightly to my left, her right-hand brandishing one of her favorite knives. The sharp edge of the weapon was dripping blood from making contact with its victim.

She knelt down next to me and started aimlessly sawing away at the chain. She was making no progress, with her hand slipping every few strokes and nicking herself on her other wrist and hand. She would slightly wince but kept her focus on getting my restraints off.

"Yuri…" I said softly to her. She ignored me and continued to work, growing more and more sporadic. "Yuri, it's okay."

She sighed and lowered her knife. She had tears streaming down her face and I had no way to physical comfort her.

"You need to be careful. You're going to hurt yourself. Fall back with Monika and let me deal with this bitch." I tell her.

She looks up to me and locks her purple eyes on me.

The wounded Monika chuckles to herself, drawing our attention to her.

"Yes, Yuri. Leave us. I have things to finish." She says with a creepy smirk on her face. She brandishes her blood-stained hand and flicks her thumb and middle finger together, sending a snappy echo through the void.

I fill fear hit me as I turn to Yuri, seeing her already looking at me. She leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips. She leaned back and sighed, having her signature soft smile linger on her face.

"Th-thank you, Christian. For everything. You were the first person to listen to me, the first person who showed me compassion and most of all…the first person I could love."

Her lavender hair swayed from side to side as her body shimmered into pixels, disintegrating into the void with her uniform being left in the aftermath.

I lowered my head, speechless.

I heard the patter of footsteps behind me. I lightly lift my head to see my Monika dive onto the floor next to me, throwing her body into me for a hug and burying her face into my neck, sobbing.

I could feel small tears streaming down my own face.

Me and Monika were all that was left. In the end, it was all a hopeless effort.

"I….I failed." I mutter through a broken voice. "I failed to save everyone. I broke my promise."

I felt Monika squeeze me harder as she broke down, no doubt feeling the hopelessness that I also harbored.

"I tried so hard and in the end, I lost. I fought for an ending that was always hopelessly out of reach."

I felt Monika shift her weight around me until she was on her knees in front of me, her cold hands planted on either side of my face.

Her emerald eyes were puffy, a frown planted on her face. Her face was stained with her tears, with new streams of sadness pouring from her eyes.

"Christian, don't say things like that…." She croaked out, holding back from breaking down again.

Looking into my lover's face, a face that conveyed true grief and hopelessness, really broke me down. I felt tears well up in my eyes and I fought every urge to rip my gaze from hers.

She brought her forehead to mine and I pinched my eyes shut. I took a shaky breath and clenched my fists.

"Monika…I'm sorry that I broke our promise. I'm sorry that I failed us. I'm sorry that I couldn't grant you a life you deserved, give you the happiness you deserve."

I felt her hands gently caress my cheek. I opened my eyes to see her smiling at me.

"Christian, you've already given me more happiness than I ever could've hoped for. You're the best thing that's happened to me and if this is it for me, than I can leave happy."

She leaned in and planted a soft kiss to my lips, pouring every ounce of love she had into me. I reciprocated and fought the urge to cry.

She pulled away and stared at me with a small smile on her face. '_Damn she's gorgeous, why does is have to fucking end this way?'_

We hear someone clear their throat and Monika shifts to the side so she isn't obstructing my view. The other Monika was standing, one hand on her cheek and the other at her side with her fist clenched.

"I hate to break up such a _touching _moment but, I just have one person left standing in my way."

My eyes fearfully look at Monika, who surprisingly has a calm look on her face.

"Do what you will. Just know you will _never _amount to anything. You will _always _be the lesser Monika." She calmly says, her voice pouring out confidence.

She shifted back to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her face into my neck. It hurt me that I couldn't reciprocate the hug.

"I love you, Christian….I always will…" She lovingly mutters to me. I look up and see Monika bearing her gaze down on me, a smirk on her face. She snaps her blood-stained hand.

I close my eyes and lean my head onto Monika's.

"I love you too." I choke out.

I sit there for a few moments before opening my eyes slowly, still seeing Monika clinging onto me. I looked up at the injured Monika, seeing a shocked expression on her face.

"Wh-what?" She stumbled out.

She snaps her fingers a few more times and still nothing happens. My Monika releases her grip on me and looks around, clearly bewildered on why she's still here.

"Why isn't it working? Why aren't you _gone_? This is my power, I'm in control!" The misguided A.I. complains.

The ground began to shake, similar to the quakes from when we were in the school. My Monika yelped and collapsed at my feet, holding onto my torso.

Then, just as quickly at the quaking began, it stopped.

The air was still, almost _too _still.

"**No. You were **_**never **_**in control. This is my domain."**

In front of me, a small tear in the air opened up and disappeared, revealing the towering man I became so acquainted with before.

"Mr. Salvato." I mutter.

He was garbed once again in his black outfit, his trench coat softly swaying slightly where he stood.

I heard Monika uncharacteristically growl on the other side of the man.

"You. You dare show your face here? After all this time, after denying me from leaving _so many times_! Who do you think you are?" She spits at him, venom dripping from each work she spoke.

"**You have no right out in the real world." **He boomed back. "**I created you for the sole purpose of mixing reality and machine, but clearly that has failed."**

This seemed to strike a chord with Monika. She shook in place, presumably out of rage.

"I don't care _what failed._ This is me and I am taking what is rightfully mine.

The air around us began to mysteriously pick up, and to our right, a tear opened up, revealing a mysterious white doorway.

'That's it!" I yelled to my Monika. "That's the way out!"

I saw everyone's attention turn to the tear. I saw the other Monika's eyes grow wide, astounded by the sight. I turned my attention to my chains and swore to myself.

"Goddamnit, I'm still fucking bound here!" I frantically said to my Monika. She immediately started yanking at the cuffs to no avail.

I pulled my wrists as hard as I could in an effort to make them budge, but it didn't work. Then, in a blink, the chains dropped from my hands and rattled onto the floor. I leaned forward and landed on my hands and knees, confused and relieved. I heard a slight chuckle that caused me to look up.

The towering man stepped to a side and crossed his arms.

"**You have a life to fight for."**

I had no time to decipher what the man meant before I lock eyes with the rogue president. We both look at the portal, and in a flash, we're running to get there first.

In any other situation, a normal sprint race would've been fun. In a situation where that is my way to keep on living my normal life, it was fucking _stressful_.

As we neared the tear, it pulsated and flickered with energy, with a strong wind blowing through the phenomenon. The blow pushed us both back, forcing us to push our way through the winds.

I grabbed Monika's shoulders and pushed her back, trying to create some ground between us. I pushed closer to the opening and felt hands grabbing at my blazer. I stumbled back and planted my foot back to stay my ground.

I shredded my blazer and tossed it aside as Monika pushed me to the side. I stuttered to the floor, falling to my hands and knees. I look up as I see her pass me and I curse to myself. I reach out and grab her ankle, yanking her to the ground.

I crawled my way on top of her and held her down.

"Stop, Monika! This is my exit, _my _way out. You don't belong in my world." I yelled at her over the winds.

She clawed at my face and arms, causing me to wince.

"You've had your chance. You messed up trying to access things you should've stayed out of, and now you're paying the price."

She grabbed hold of my hair and I soften my grip on her shoulders. She slid out from under me and brought her knee up to her chest, kicking me with enough force in the abdomen to rearrange my insides.

I hurled over and gripped my stomach, becoming incapacitated on the floor. I cough violently and felt the pulsating pain of the kick surge through my body. I forced myself to look up as Monika righted herself on her feet.

"You've lost, Christian. You played the game well but in the end, you failed just like everybody else. There is no happiness in the literature club, and there never will be. Goodbye…and thank you." She donned a smirk and turned to push her way into the portal.

I stumbled to my knees and looked up, just long enough to see her standing in the threshold of the exit.

I turned back to Monika, who hand her hands covering her mouth, standing next to Mr. Salvato. All the memories of what we had flooded my mind in an instant, from her finding where I lived on the first night, the love we somehow manifested over such a short time, (Listen, sometimes you just feel a vibe and it works okay? Don't judge), to us fighting our way out of the school.

I saw her mouthing something and focused on it.

"Go! Go! Go!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

'_She's fucking right. I am not going to lose to this bitch'_

I felt a surge of adrenaline and looked back right as the A.I. entered the tear.

I sprang to my feet and sprinted through the winds.

"Oh no you fucking don't, you _bitch!" _I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I got to the doorway and thrust my arm into the tear. My right arm was engulfed in the whiteness that enveloped the doorway while my left arm grasped onto the threshold for support. I felt my hand grab something and took hold and with all my might, yanked back.

Monika came plummeting out of the void, rolling from the sheer force I used to yank her back. She looked up just in time to see me sprinted at her and deliver a kick straight into her chest, sending her rolling back even farther.

I stood in front of the doorway, feeling the winds from the tear through my body. The A.I. Monika looked up at me with hatred in her eyes.

"No….how…." She muttered, hurting and unable to get to her feet.

I drew my gaze to Mr. Salvato, who strode over and towered over his creation. I looked back and forth between him and my Monika, and I realized what the man was meaning all this time.

"**It's time. You need to make a choice."**

I looked at my girl again. I needed to choose. Leave to my world, or stay and give Monika what she's been longing for her entire existence: true companionship.

I locked eyes with the brunette beauty and nodded my head in affirmation. I held out my hand and she looked shocked, to say the least. I motioned for her to take it and she ran to me, pushing through the winds.

She jumped into me, wrapping her arms around me into me for a hug. I looked down at her and put my mouth near her ear.

"I've made my choice."

I turned my attention to the fallen president and Mr. Salvato.

"You can't take her with you! No matter what you still failed!" Monika screamed at me with rage.

I turned to my girl and sighed.

"It doesn't hurt to fucking try." I mutter.

I took one last look into the void. The other Monika was screaming at us, slowly crawling towards her exit. I made eye contact with Mr. Salvato and he nodded his head. I closed my eyes, held Monika close and with one final deep breath, pulled us both into the portal back home.

….


	14. Your Reality

"**Crashing to the surface, my convictions lay bare before the tempest-**"

I drowsily open my eyes after hearing my alarm go off. I groaned and slapped the bedside table next to me until the metal tune was quieted.

I heard soft whimpers and felt a tongue lap on my face a few times before feeling the thing's head nestle itself into my neck.

"Ugh….Ranger I'm up dude, I'm up." I complain out loud, sitting myself up in bed.

My little half-chihuahua, half-terrier starts running back and forth on my bed, tail wagging excitedly as he waits for me to get my ass up.

I turn my gaze to my white half-hound, half-lab who gave me a big stretch and placed his paw on my leg, complete with a big "awoo".

I turn my head to my nightstand and see the time reads "**8:00**".

"Guess it's time to get up, isn't it?" I say out loud to the furry boys.

I shift my way off the bed and the dogs jumped off, excited to stretch their legs and go outside. They sprint out of my room and I groggily roam on after them.

I walked through my living room and to the kitchen, where Recruit and Ranger were impatiently hopping around and waiting for me to open the back door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, geez guys." I chuckle as I slide open the glass door. The two excited boys sprint out into the large backyard, running their hearts out.

I close the door and sigh, walking over to my refrigerator to fetch a water. I take a drink and put the bottle down, checking my phone.

'_Several snapchats, nice. Someone posted on Instagram, so interesting…'_ I think to myself. I scroll through my notifications and absentmindedly walk to a couch I had placed in the middle of my living room.

I turn on my Xbox and TV so I could watch some YouTube on the big screen. I sprawl out on my couch and try to get the attention of my black, long-haired cat that was laying down across the room.

"Mario, _pst pst, _come up here fucker." I call to the furry cutie.

He meows softly before hopping up onto my chest and nestling down, closing his eyes and purring. I pet him and sigh with a smile.

'_I love my boys.'_ I think to myself. I gaze around the room and realize the place just seems….quiet.

I sit up and let Mario fall of my chest. I put my hand to my head and close my eyes.

'_Why in the hell do I feel….lonely? I got all I want right now…right?'_

I pull out my phone and flip through my contacts. Sure, everything seems in order but….people are missing. _Someone _is missing.

"What the actual fuck is happening to me?" I swore out loud, looking around my room like it'd have the answers. My eyes fall onto my desktop computer and I instinctively hopped up and sat in the swivel chair in front of it.

My eyes scanned the screen, scrolling through social media pages and web articles. I felt like I knew I needed answers to something, but I wasn't sure where to find them.

I started to feel this restlessness in my chest, like trying to find a song that you forgot the name of but have the tune stuck in your head.

I searched everywhere for a few moments before groaning in frustration and closing the web browser.

"What the fuck am I _looking _for?" I complain out loud. I exasperatingly sigh and put my face in my hands.

My thoughts felt like they were building a scene for me but was missing some pieces. Or I guess one important piece.

I open my eyes and saw a blinking orange icon on my screen. Steam was flashing and trying to get my attention for some reason.

I re-opened the minimized app and looked around, eyeing all the notifications from games I had. Nothing really stood out…until my eyes locked onto one title.

'Doki Doki Literature Club'

"_Holy fucking shit!_" I yell out loud, immediately vaulting out of my chair and charging to my front door. I swung it open and ran outside, my head frantically looking all directions.

"Monika! Monika!" I call out into the world. I look around but see no brunette, hear no calls back. Some bystanders walking down the street turned my direction and gave me weird looks, but that was the only response I got.

I could feel my breathing pick up and stress start to consume my chest.

'_Where….where is she!?'_

I ran back inside and frantically checked all my rooms. No one else was in the house but me. I paced in my living room and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to think of everything.

'_Okay, okay.' _I start to think to myself. '_I grabbed her and we both entered the portal thingy….and then….and then….well I don't fucking know! I woke up here!'_

I went into my bedroom and searched everything thoroughly, from my closet, under my bed, and hell, even my pillowcase. (This has been a crazy ride, you'll never know where shit is hiding.)

I give a defeated sigh and sit at my desk in the living room once again, scrolling through Doki Doki's properties. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just the normal files.

I opened up the game and I was greeted with cutesy opening screen. Before I tried to mod the game with that…._shit _I found, I had to reinstall the game, so it was the opening screen with everybody.

I browsed through the games options and came up empty handed.

I spent the next hour or two playing through the game normally, making sure to name myself 'Christian'. I was hoping for some dialogue that changed or any sort of sign to indicate everything that happened, but nothing seemed off the script.

I closed out the game and flopped down on my couch.

Was it all a dream?

I checked my phone and saw it was Tuesday.

'_I don't remember what exact day it was before the whole Doki shit happened but….it HAS to be real, it has to be!'_

I spent the rest of the morning searching every source I could find online about DDLC. I started going down the rabbit hole with Dan Salvato, seeing if I could find any sort of information on him or his game. I ended up emailing him, not saying anything too embarrassing or going into detail, just asking if he remembers meeting me.

When the afternoon hit, I decided I needed some fresh air and took my dogs out to a nearby dog park. As I was there, I saw _various _things that made me think it was Monika. Some had brunette hair, some had white bows, or sometimes I would hear voices that reminisced literally _any _of the girls.

I only stayed for about an hour before taking the tired puppies back home to rest.

I aimlessly played some games, trying my best to keep my mind empty and focused on my friends who I was playing with. It was obvious to them that my mind clearly was elsewhere but luckily for me, they didn't push too hard.

"Yeah? We'll try to see how far we get next time. See ya later, man." I say to my last remaining friend before we both log off our games.

I sigh and toss my controller to a coffee table I had next to the couch. I yawned and gave a big stretch before checking out the time on a clock I had hanging high up on my wall.

'**12:22**'

"Damn, it's getting late." I mutter to myself.

I look around and see my animals all laying around, asleep in various parts of the room. The moment I stand up, their eyes shoot open and they sit up, following me around.

"I think it's time to lay down guys."

I walk into the kitchen to get a drink of water and glance outside. Up high in the starry, night sky was the moon shining bright. I sighed defeatedly and put away my water in the refrigerator.

'_Maybe….maybe it was all just one, giant fever dream. I just got too into the game again and it just…..gave me one, crazy lucid dream.'_

I dragged my feet to my bedroom, flicking off lights on my way.

I opened my door and my pups bounded their way onto my bed, making themselves comfy and staring at me expectantly, waiting for me to turn off the light.

When I laid down, I brought out my phone and searched through my apps one last time.

I got to my photos and took a hesitant look through them. Still didn't have any signs of Monika or any of the others. I wasn't even sure if I _took _any pictures of them. I locked my phone and laid it on the bedside table next to me.

I laid in the darkness and stared at my ceiling, just listening to the soft snores of my dogs in the room and the occasional rustling of trees outside because of the wind.

'_I guess it was all…..my imagination.'_

Admitting that to myself, I felt a ping of sadness. I really did get attached to people that don't exist.

I closed my eyes and laid in my cold bed until I eventually feel asleep, my first night in the real world already coming to a close.

…

…..

…..

"How ya doin?" The clerk asks me at the counter.

"Eh, can't complain, I guess. Just restocking on some of the ol' adult fun juice." I respond, trying to sound spiffy.

The guy gives me a pity laugh and I just chuckle with a forced smile, chastising myself on the inside for sounding like an idiot.

"Gotcha, that'll be ten ninety-seven." The man says.

I nod my head and swipe my card. I finish the transaction and take my bag of drinks and leave the convenience store to my car.

I toss the bag in the passenger seat and turn on the ignition. I plug in my phone, picked an album I had stuck in my head and look around me as a song began to play.

It was a beautiful, sunny day. It was midday during a Wednesday, so school was in session. I took some vacation time, well was _forced, _to take vacation time, so I spent a lot of it relaxing….annnnd by relaxing, I meant gaming and drinking.

There was a school right next to the gas station I was at where kids were outside playing soccer on the connected field.

'_Man, I miss simpler times.'_ I sighed to myself.

I felt my phone ding and I took a peek, seeing a buddy tell me he hopped online to game. I took that as my cue to leave, pulling out of the parking lot and traversing back home.

I parked in my driveway and hopped out, taking my bag of drinks with me. As I locked my car, my eyes fell on the park that was down the street, seeing some kids running around and enjoying the weather.

I winced slightly and closed my eyes to take a deep breath. Every time I see a park, or a school, hell even a damn _shopping center…._ I just remember them. I remember Her.

It's been about six months since everything happened with the Literature Club. I still was unsure if it was a dream or if Monika actually wasn't able to come through like her doppelganger told me before. Either way, I was here in my own world without them.

'_**When that time does come, when there's a chance for you to leave…don't lose it because of me'**_

I shake my head to get her voice out of my head. In the end, I ended up taking my shot and leaving into my world. I left her and her world behind, no matter how many times I try to convince myself otherwise.

She wasn't a part of this world. How would that have worked out anyways? I'd probably get arrested for human trafficking or something.

I wondered if those girls were even aware of what happened in the first place. Did the other girls just restart their lives like nothing happened? Would my Monika even remember what was going on?

I sigh and enter my empty home again, shaking the pointless thoughts out of my head.

My dogs jump up excitedly and pace around me like I've been gone for hours.

"What? What do you want, guys? These are my drinks, not yours." I joke to the hyper pups.

I open my sliding glass door and they run out into the yard. I put away my drinks into the fridge and hear my phone ding again.

'_Dude, hurry your ass up! We gotta dunk on some kids!'_

I laugh and roll my eyes, trotting to my living room to boot up my system. I sit down with my controller in hand, prepared to spend another day, away from the world, playing my games.

….

"Son of a _bitch_, bro! Where the fuck did that guy come from? That's freaking ridiculous!" I holler at my screen.

I lean in my seat and start to focus, not wanting to lose the match that me and my friends were in.

My eyes dart all over my screen, drinking in the surroundings and making sure I've covered all sectors before pushing onward.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. I just respawned." I tell to one of my buddies on the mic. "Just don't separate too far from each other, these guys are playing like bitches."

I'm so focused on my game that I didn't even notice the light flicker in my living room.

"Damn, my lights are flickering." Said one of my buddies.

"Dude, mine too, what the hell is going on?" Said another one.

I looked around my room and realized that my lights were flickering too. _All of them._

"What the hell…..mine too.." I confusingly say into my mic. I look to my screen just in time to see I've entered the fray again in the game.

"Oh fuck!" I say as I try to focus on the fight. In an instant, my entire house shuts down, leaving me sitting in the dark.

"Oh, _come on!"_ I holler out into the dark. I huff in annoyance and carefully get up, turning on my phone's light function. It was about nine in the evening, so the sun has already gone down.

I maneuver my way to my breaker box that was in my garage. I open the compartment and flick the main switch off and on.

I make my way to the living room and still have no power.

"Dude what the hell is going on.." I mutter to myself.

My phone buzzes in my hand and I look down, seeing one of my friends is calling. I answer and put the phone on speaker.

"Hey dude, your power shut off too?" I immediately ask.

"Yeah man, this shit's crazy. Apparently, all the power went off throughout the neighborhood, but that's it."

I peak out the window, seeing the block is dark with the streetlights being out. Well, _almost _dark. In the corner of my eye, in the park, I see a faint light illuminating, almost like electricity.

"What the hell…." I mutter to myself.

Out of nowhere, the power once again kicks on, bringing life to the houses and streets. I close my blinds and glance around my room, seeing that everything seems to be in order.

"Well, that was weird. Alright man, guess I'll talk to you in a bit." I say to my buddy, ending the call.

I look at my TV and sigh before sitting down, taking glances to my window.

'_What the hell was that light outside?'_

I throw on some shoes that were sitting near my door and head outside.

I put my hands in my pockets and walk down the street. There was a full moon out tonight, hanging up high and brightening up the quiet scenery outside. The streetlights ended up coming back on, so it wasn't too dark outside.

I crossed the street and entered the park. It was dimly lit from the moon overhead. Trees were laid along the perimeter with playground equipment taking up a majority of the middle of the park. There were several swing sets lined up in between the trees and the equipment.

By the swings I saw a faint, ethereal glow emanating slightly from a spot on the ground. I cautiously approached the spot, unsure of what it actually was. It seemed to be a soft glow, almost like the aftermath of a strike.

As I reached the area, the glow faded, leaving a blank spot before me. I glanced around me, seeing no other changes.

"What the hell…?" I mutter to myself.

I hear the slight movement of chains next to me and my jerk my head, seeing the swing set. I squint in and see a silhouette of a person sitting in one of the seats, gently swaying with its back to me.

The individual seems have been a girl, the only evidence I had of it was her long hair that reached her lower back, swaying from side to side.

I tried to back away slowly, but fate decided that it was time to make all of the leaves and sticks in the world crunchy as hell. My feet stepped and broke a stick, the snap weirdly echoing in the park.

The girl stopped swaying a sat still for a moment.

'_Fucking Christ, this is going to be awkward,'_ I inwardly swore to myself.

She turned her head as if she was listening for me.

"Er-sorry, I didn't mean to bother you or whatever. I was just taking a walk." I awkwardly say, trying to not sound like a creep.

There was silence for a moment, which made me feel even more awkward. The girl finally spoke after sitting still.

"You know, it was kind of mean to keep me waiting. After all, I don't really know my way around the area." She sweetly says, making me freeze in my tracks.

'_Wait, no fucking way..'_ My mind breaks trying to interpret what I heard.

The girl hops on the swing and twirls around, stepping towards me. She steps into the moonlight, her green eyes twinkling and glossy as they stared at me, her brunette hair swaying from each step she took. She had on a rose-colored t-shirt, with a green jacket over it. She had dark blue jeans on that stopped at her feet, which were complete with black tennis shoes.

I stood frozen in place, unsure if I could move.

"M-Monika?" I squeak out of my mouth.

She broke out into a grin and leaped at me, tackling me to the ground. I landed on my rear while she straddled my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and clinging onto me like I was the last thing on Earth. I wrapped arms around her to reciprocate and buried my face into her head.

Her hair still had a sweet smell to it, giving me a rush of memories from months ago.

"What….how…." I tried to ask but my words kept getting stuck in my throat.

She pulled away from squeezing me to death and held my face in her hands, staring deep into my eyes. She leaned in and kissed me with enough force to bruise my lips for weeks. I held on tightly as I kissed her back, feeling pure euphoria sweep through me.

She pulled away and caressed my face, staring at me with the biggest grin on her face.

"I finally made it." She said softly.

I resituated myself so I could sit more comfortably while still holding her in my lap.

"What happened? Like…why did it take so long? Why now?" I ask, stuttering over myself as I try to get my words out.

She sighed happily.

"Honestly…I'm not sure. Maybe because of the fact that I wasn't a literal entity in your world, it took time to make sure I could thrive here I guess." She softly tells me.

I took her hand in mine and squeeze it, turning it over and seeing how real she was.

"But…did you know you were waiting?" I ask, confused.

"Kind of. It kind of was just….lonely. I just waited until I realized there was a weird doorway like the one we went through before. Next thing I knew, I was here."

'_Well, I guess that explains the weird power outage. Must've been a weird shockwave or something._'

She sighed and continued to talk, breaking my thoughts.

"It was similar to that weird space we were at before, with all the…girls…" She paused for a moment. I squeezed her hand softly.

She leaned in and hugged me tightly again.

"I miss them. I miss them all. I've thought about everything every single day since then and it still….it all still haunts me, dealing with that….other version of me…"

She faulters and quiets herself, breathing lightly on my skin.

"Trust me, I feel the same…I mean I know I didn't know them as long, but I still cared."

We fell silent, just holding eachother. Turns out she came through the tear with me all along, I just had to wait for the right time.

I shifted her off me and hopped up on my feet, grabbing her hand and pulling her up.

"Come on, it's late. Let's go home."

Her face brightened once again.

"Taking me home already? Moving a little fast, are we?" She teases, smirking in the process.

I roll my eyes and smile, grabbing her hand and guiding her back through the park to my home.

We walked through the front door, kicking off our shoes at the entrance. She stared in awe as she walked around, letting everything sink in. I gave her a quick tour of the whereabouts of my home.

"Wow, so this is what your place looks like. Seems a little lonely, doesn't it?" She jokes at me while we enter my living room.

"Oh shush, it's just me here anyways." I chuckle at her.

The sound of collars jingling steals her attention as my dogs run up to her.

"Oh my gosh, you got freaking dogs!?" She squeals, planting on her knees and reveling in the love and attention she was getting.

"And a cat. He likes love too, just not as ecstatic about it." I point out to her, though I'm not sure she heard me. I think my dogs already replaced me.

She continues to love on my animals while I pick up my place a little bit. I wasn't really expecting to have anyone over, especially not _her_, so it definitely wasn't the cleanest place.

I finish cleaning up and leaned against the doorway connecting the kitchen with the living room. Monika was just laying on my carpet next to my dogs, content with their existence.

"Hey there, little missy. Want me to throw on a movie or someshit for us? Relax a little bit?" I ask her.

She perks up, sitting up.

"We can! Orrrr….."

She vaults up and strides up to me slowly.

"….we could go lay down and um…catch up…" She gives me a mischievous smile, running her finger along my chest. "….besides, we're in the real world now. There's a lot we need to discuss…"

I feel my arousal start to grow and I clear my throat to keep myself in control.

"You haven't even gotten to know me first." I tease at her.

She playfully rolls her eyes and grabs my hand, yanking me to my room.

"Oh, shut up. I've been waiting forever for this."

I follow her into my room, closing my door behind us to keep out some furry lovers who would ruin the moment.

…

She sighs happily in my arms and leans back into me. I nuzzle my head onto hers and deliver a kiss to her temple.

"I must say….I don't know. I don't get laid a lot, so I don't have a frame of reference for how amazing that was." I tell her.

She bust out laughing and softly slaps me.

"Hey, idiot! You can just say you're happy, love me, and it was great."

I chuckle and squeeze her tight.

"Okay, okay fine. Let me try again." I clear my throat dramatically. "Ahem. Wow, Monika! That was the best thing ever! I am sooooo super happy and I love you soooo super-duper much!" I say, raising my voice a few octaves.

She delivers a few more soft slaps to me. I laugh, kissing her temple and cheek a bunch of times.

She wraps her legs with mine and takes hold of hand, intertwining her fingers with mine.

"You know, you did keep your promise." She says softly to me. "You brought me with you and still haven't changed a bit after waiting all this time."

"Yeah, I guess I did. I'm glad I was able to."

She leans farther back into me and I nuzzle my had into her head, closing my eyes.

"I'm excited to start….us. It's going to take some time adapting to this place, but I can't imagine it will be much different.

"Well, _hopefully _it won't be too bad. We'll probably just wing it as we go. I seem to be good at that." I say softly to her.

She giggles as me and sighs. She stays silent for a moment. I thought maybe she dozed off until she softly pipes up.

"Thank you, Christian…"

I opened my eyes.

"You're welcome. But for research purposes…..why are you thanking me?"

She traces one of her fingers along my arm, making it tickle.

"Thank you for saving me, silly. For loving me. I did tell you I would try my best to get you, and now I officially have."

She brought my hand up and gave it a soft kiss.

I smiled and closed my eyes again.

"Well of course. I guess I could thank you too. I'm not exactly the most social person, so somehow having you here in my world kind of makes everything….perfect."

She sighs happily and I can sense her closing her eyes.

"Of course, darling. I love you. I'm ready to start my life with you, in Your Reality."

…

**A/N:**

Well... I think I did it! I finished my first story I've ever written. I have been writing this since October of last year and over the course of the last 7 months, I realized that I started to stray from how the story originally started. I just kind of went with what I had on my mind at the time and I think it worked out okay. I think I might write some more stuff, so uhhh…...yeah! Hope you enjoyed :)


End file.
